The development of Gozo Rural Airfield will make way for inter-island flights to neighbouring Malta, encouraging more visitors to the destination.
Tourism bosses speaking at WTM said Gozo will have a 450-metre runway and is expected to be in full operation by autumn 2026.
The runway will be able to take aircraft carrying up to 15 people.
Gozo’s Director for Tourism and Economic Development Ronald Sultana said: “It will be a huge development for us to open up new opportunities.
“We will continue to invest, but we want it to remain a rural airfield – it will only be 77,000 sqm and sustainability is a big consideration.”
The airfield development will not include any new buildings, no floodlights, and no night landing lights to ensure it remains ‘unobtrusive’. It is expected to lead to a reduction in vehicles on the island due to fewer cars being taken across on the ferry from Malta.
Gozo is also hoping to entice more guests to stay on the island for longer durations, and currently has applications in for 14 boutique hotels (with no more than 40 rooms in each), which will open in existing buildings.
The UK remains the number one source market for Malta, with UK tour operators sending 164,000 British visitors to the destination from January to October 2024. During the whole of 2023, the destination saw 143,480 British arrivals from UK operators.
Malta is hoping the launch of easyJet’s year-round twice-weekly flights next month will boost arrivals during the winter.
Malta is also keen to keep its reputation as a film destination with 90% of the new Gladiator II sequel being filmed on the island.
Malta Tourism Authority CEO Carlo Micallef said: “It’s a great endorsement for the destination and and a great hook for promotion too.”
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Tourism bosses speaking at WTM said Gozo will have a 450-metre runway and is expected to be in full operation by autumn 2026.
The runway will be able to take aircraft carrying up to 15 people.
Gozo’s Director for Tourism and Economic Development Ronald Sultana said: “It will be a huge development for us to open up new opportunities.
“We will continue to invest, but we want it to remain a rural airfield – it will only be 77,000 sqm and sustainability is a big consideration.”
The airfield development will not include any new buildings, no floodlights, and no night landing lights to ensure it remains ‘unobtrusive’. It is expected to lead to a reduction in vehicles on the island due to fewer cars being taken across on the ferry from Malta.
Gozo is also hoping to entice more guests to stay on the island for longer durations, and currently has applications in for 14 boutique hotels (with no more than 40 rooms in each), which will open in existing buildings.
The UK remains the number one source market for Malta, with UK tour operators sending 164,000 British visitors to the destination from January to October 2024. During the whole of 2023, the destination saw 143,480 British arrivals from UK operators.
Malta is hoping the launch of easyJet’s year-round twice-weekly flights next month will boost arrivals during the winter.
Malta is also keen to keep its reputation as a film destination with 90% of the new Gladiator II sequel being filmed on the island.
Malta Tourism Authority CEO Carlo Micallef said: “It’s a great endorsement for the destination and and a great hook for promotion too.”
The post Gozo airfield development will allow flights to Malta appeared first on Travel Gossip.
Continue reading...
