Posts Tagged ‘Culture’

Malta Pushes Culture For 2008

Initial reports suggest that the holiday island of Malta has had a best ever year for tourism in 2007, and is now considering how she can broaden her appeal.

With a history dating back thousands of year tourism bosses have decided that a mix of history and culture is a market the island can tap in 2008, and will be marketing it to the UK and other European countries.

Speaking recently Malta’s tourism Minister noted that visitor numbers had risen each month since November 2006 – this was due though to the low cost airlines starting to fly to Malta, more than anything the government had done or the tourism board to promote Malta as a holiday destination.

Commenting on the need to diversify the range of holidays Malta is able to offer potential visitors, he said:

‘Today we cannot rely any more on the formula ‘sun, sea and sand’. We are diversifying our product into new tourism segments, namely cultural tourism, English language learning, conferences and incentives, sports, and Gozo as a destination on its own. Together these segments make up about 40 per cent of all tourists coming to Malta. This means that we are on the right track of diversification.’

At the moment some 150,000 tourists visit Malta each year specifically for the island’s history and culture, but there is no specific target set to hit in the coming years.

Commenting on Malta’s pitch for the culture and heritage market, a local travel guide says ‘From what we can see there isn’t a figure the tourism bosses have in mind – and that’s hardly surprising given their dismal record in the past when it come to attracting holidaymakers to Malta.’

The optimism from Malta is in sharp contrast to just a couple of years ago when some major holiday companies were considering dropping Malta as a holiday option altogether.

With a downward spiral in visitor numbers in successive years, the Maltese government finally relented to pressure from the Malta holidays industry and allowed low cost carriers to fly to the island for the first time in November 2006.

Competition was keen between the airlines to take up the lucrative UK to Malta route, and Dublin based Ryanair was chosen over rivals easyJet to take up the route, and the island has benefitted this year with a sharp increase in tourists, reversing six years of decline.

Since then the island’s tourist authorities have finally waken up to the fact that competition in the skies could bring more benefits to the country than protecting her national airline, and new routes have opened between Malta with Germany, Spain and Scandanavia.

New official figures show that this year’s all important summer season has been the best in six years for Malta, reversing the decline in fortunes for the Mediterranean island.

The good news for Malta is that despite the increase in the number of tourists arriving on the island via low cost flights, the occupancy levels of hotels has increased from basic to 5 star, showing that Malta can appeal to all, which is why perhaps culture and history are seen as sectors of the travel market that could bring even more visitors to the island, but time will tell if government led directions can really be beneficial for Malta’s holiday and airline industries.

Find your Inspiration in Among the Local Culture and Beauty

Sanibel Island, Florida is perhaps best known for the gorgeous local beaches and waterways but that certainly does not mean there is any lack of culture in the local area. Far from it; in fact. Visitors to Sanibel will discover that over the years the area has served as inspiration to numerous cultural pursuits, particularly writers. It would seem that the tranquility and peace of Sanibel is just what is needed to wash away the cares of the outside world and set forth the soul of inspiration for the written word.

“Gift from the Sea” was penned by Anne Morrow Lindbergh, wife of the world famous aviator Charles Lindbergh. In her book, published in 1955, Lindbergh discusses the unique serenity that can be found in the seaside setting of Captiva Island and the effect that it had on her personally.

Perhaps one of the most well known contemporary writers associated with the Sanibel area is Randy Wayne White. The Doc Ford mystery novels, which went on to become bestsellers, find inspiration in the natural beauty of Sanibel Island. Even the titles of the books seem to draw readers into the captivating world of this beautiful corner of Florida, ranging from “Sanibel Flats” to “Ten Thousand Islands” to “Captiva.” Not only does White manage to deliver a captivating mystery to his readers but also weaves in the area’s unique ecology and history for good measure.

White is not the only mystery writer to find inspiration in the beauty of Sanibel. It is rumored that John D. MacDonald may have written some of his own well known mysteries while visiting at the home of a friend on Cabbage Key.

There are even tales that have come out of Sanibel for younger readers. James Kaserman is the author of two books related to the Sanibel area; Gasparilla, Pirate Genius” and “The Legend of Gasparilla, A Tale for All Ages.” The latter title went on to win the Florida Publisher’s Association 2003 President’s Book Award for Best Florida Title. “Gasparilla, Pirate Genius” is based on the legend of the namesake of Gasparilla Island, Jose Gaspar.

If you have ever considered writing the Great American Novel, come on down to Sanibel, where inspiration soars. Even if writing is not in your blood but you enjoy a good tale, Sanibel is definitely the place to be.

Enjoy Art and Culture in Singapore and Pamper yourself in Singapore Hotels

If you love history, art and culture, Singapore has a lot to offer you. Singapore is proud of its history and has been able to preserve its history in the form of art and artifacts. Art and artifacts of historic significance have been preserved in the museums of the Singapore. To enjoy the visual treats provided by these museums you need to stay in Singapore. You will be amazed at the quality of accommodation provide by Singapore cheap hotels. They pamper you in style at the same time maintaining the highest standards of international hospitality.

Different museums in Singapore cater to the different subjects of art and history. Asian civilization museum is one of the unique museums. It happens to be the first museum in the South East Asia, which explores the cultures and civilizations of Asia. Influence of these cultures and civilizations on the development of Singapore is exposed in a unique way in this museum. There are many galleries in the museum based on different themes. Total artifacts at display in this museum are more than one thousand. Singapore cheap hotels located near the museum offer excellent services and provide easy access to the museum.

If you are interested in the historic and world war related monuments then you can head toward Changi prison Chapel and museum. During the Second World War Japanese used this prison for confinement of the war criminals. How torturous this confinement was, is visible from the sketches and paintings at display in this museum. Many tourists and students visit this museum for educational purpose. If you plan to use visit to this museum for educational purpose you can stay at any of the Singapore cheap hotels during your educational tour.

Republic of Singapore Air Force Museum is spread over vast area and provides a visual history of the development of the air force in the island. As Singapore was one of the hotly contested areas in the Second World War, those interested in the history of the Second World War, will find it really entertaining and informative. Singapore art museum is one of the biggest art museums in the South East Asia. Located near many excellent Singapore hotel, it is housed in a restored classical building. Art work represented in the museum represents the genre of Singapore and Malay art. Art work at display in the museum is more than four thousand in number.

Singapore offers you numerous opportunities to indulge in many activities besides shopping and eating. Watching art and cultural artifacts at the museum in Singapore you will be touched by the passion of the artists. In a similar way service of the Singapore cheap hotels will leave a humble impression that will last for ever.