Heidi Pantzar

The Language of a Pearl: Seasonality and Language Tourism for the Maltese Islands Heidi Pantzar

Language Tourism is an upcoming niche in tourism and in Europe there are three countires which English is a mother tongue, United Kingdom, Ireland and Malta. This book is focusing on Malta. Malta is a small island state in the middle of the mediterranean sea south of sicily. Due to its mediterranean climate makes it a perfect sun and sea destination. Malta has been seen as a mass tourism destination and since it is an english collony the island also has English schools offering language classes all year round. Malta had an established reputation back in the 1980s. The Maltese Government wanted to attract a different type of tourist, the ? quality tourist?. The shoulder months have always been an issue and the typ of tourist they wished to attract would also visit the island over the shoulder months. They were talking about the cultural tourist. Being an island state Malta is more likely to suffer from the seasonality than inland and costal destinations. The climate is a major pulling factor. In order to achieve all year round tourism the importance of good cooperation between the language schools and the Malta Tourism Authority is a high priority.