Common recreational water illnesses in children

Malta's Cleanliness In Summer 'poor', Say Quarter Of Tourists

More than a quarter of tourists visiting Malta in the summer last year described the country's cleanliness as 'poor' or 'very poor', according to a survey.

Data from the Malta Tourism Authority's Traveller Survey showed 29.3% of tourists gave the country a dismal rating during peak season.

Cleanliness levels improved in the winter months with "poor" or "very poor" ratings going down to 13.4% from January to March.

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The usually unpublished feedback was included in a study by MTA's Research Unit manager Mariella Attard and was released as part of the Malta National Tourism Conference this week.

"This clearly indicates that achieving a more acceptable level of cleanliness is of utmost importance to secure higher levels of tourist satisfaction," Attard said.

Concerns about trash typically increase during summer as the weather gets warmer and an increase in population sees more black bin bags left in the street.

Mayors of popular tourist towns such as Sliema and St Julian's have been particularly vocal about the impact.

The data, published in the Malta Tourism Insights document, also shows how satisfied tourists are with their stay.

While a larger share of tourists visit Malta in the summer months, those who visit in autumn are more satisfied with their experience.

Some 30.6% of those surveyed between October to December said their expectations were exceeded while that dropped to 26% for those who took their holiday during summer.

This clearly indicates that achieving a more acceptable level of cleanliness is of utmost importance to secure higher levels of tourist satisfaction

Despite the concerns about cleanliness, Malta's tourism numbers are increasing and most people who visit the country want to come back.

Some 2.28 million tourists visited Malta in 2022 and, this year, the tourism sector is expected to reach 2.77 million, exceeding Malta's 2019 levels. Speaking during the conference, Prime Minister Robert Abela boasted that Malta was "overperforming" in terms of tourism numbers.

According to the surveys, tourists staying in Gozo have a better overall experience. Almost 87% said they would revisit Gozo, compared to 72% who said they would return to Malta.

The survey also showed how different nationalities have different opinions of their stay.

Tourists from the UK, Belgium, Nordic countries and Hungary had the most favourable overall experience in Malta.

British visitors were particularly satisfied with the hospitality of the locals, accommodation, historical sites and churches and public transport, Attard said.

On the other hand, tourists from Spain were less impressed.

Research shows that 14.3% described their overall experience in Malta as below expectations, the highest share of Malta's main source markets.

Attard said Spanish tourists show lower satisfaction in terms of sandy beach offers, road infrastructure, public transport, restaurants and accommodation.

Polish visitors are the most likely to recommend Malta to friends and relatives (96%) and also reported satisfaction with hospitality, churches and archaeological sites.

"This presents a high potential for Malta, given that Poland is a newly emerging source market that has been characterised by remarkable growth in recent years," Attard wrote.

The Malta National Tourism Conference was organised by the Malta Tourism Observatory, the body responsible for overseeing the implementation of national tourism targets.

Inside Villa Guardamangia, Queen Elizabeth And Prince Philip's Home In Malta

In The Crown's penultimate episode, Queen Elizabeth fondly reminisces on her days in Malta with Prince Philip. "Before I acceeded to the throne, Philip and I lived in Malta as a young married couple," the Queen (Imelda Staunton) tells Prince Philip (Ed McVey). "Villa Guardamangia was our home, outside Valletta. Some of the happiest years of my life."

She continues, "I used to go to the grocers, you know, every day, with all the other wives. And held dinner parties and picnics, and went to the local hairdresser. Out of the spotlight, living a perfectly normal life. I want you to have that, too."

Princess Elizabeth and her husband Prince Philip at the Villa Guardamangia in Malta.

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This really happened: Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth, then Princess Elizabeth, lived in Villa Guardamangia from 1949 to 1951, when Philip was stationed in Malta as a naval officer.

The villa, located in Gwardamanġa, Pietà, Malta, was leased to (and later purchased by) Louis Mountbatten, Prince Philip's uncle, in 1929. The royal couple first stayed at Villa Guardamangia in 1946, when they were newly engaged, and then returned in 1949. It was the only house outside of the UK that Elizabeth ever called home.

Princess Elizabeth, accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, looks over Valetta from the roof of the Villa Guardamangia.

PA Images//Getty Images

The three years that the couple spent in Malta were ones that the Queen remembered fondly. In 2015, when Queen Elizabeth visited the country, she said, "Visiting Malta is always very special for me. I remember happy days here with Prince Philip when we were first married." A neighbor, Ġużeppi Formosa, fondly recalled in 2015 "She was much loved here, people used to wait to wave to her, she would respond back waving her hand."

As The Crown says, Elizabeth lived a relatively "normal" life in Malta. Per Tatler, "The Queen was a 'regular' naval wife, shopping in her Morris Minor and taking boat trips around the archipelago, while her husband worked hard in the Navy, one of his great joys, and a career that was cut short by his wife's ascension to the throne."

A view of the entrace to the Villa Guardamangia.

Joanna Demarco//Getty Images

The villa was put up for sale in 2019, and purchased by the Government of Malta with the intent of restoring the historic home.

Emily Burack (she/her) is the news writer for Town & Country, where she covers entertainment, culture, the royals, and a range of other subjects. Before joining T&C, she was the deputy managing editor at Hey Alma, a Jewish culture site. Follow her @emburack on Twitter and Instagram. 

Malta Media Guide

Image caption,

Maltese newspapers headline "The pen conquers fear" following the killing of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia in 2017

Many of Malta's newspapers and broadcasters have strong political affiliations. Dailies and weeklies appear in Maltese and English.

The media are generally free and diverse, though state-owned media favour the government. Maltese journalists face harassment and libel accusations.

Journalists, especially those investigating corruption, face physical dangers - the most notable example being the murder of investigative reporter Daphne Caruana Galizia.

Maltese radio began in the mid-1930s, partly to counter fascist propaganda broadcasts from Italy. Malta Television launched in 1962, five years after the islanders started receiving TV signals from Italy. Italian channels remain popular.

The first private broadcasting licences were granted to the two major political parties and the Catholic Church. More stations followed and there is now a proliferation of privately-run radio stations and several TV channels.

Cable and satellite TV are widely watched.

There were 389,000 internet users by December 2021, comprising 88% of the population (Internetworldstats.Com).

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Television

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