From Fuego to Fuego

Paceville and Bugibba are easily the two main areas people in Malta visit for entertainment purposes. Fuego is one of the few places with premises in both regions.

The first Fuego salsa bar was opened two-and-a-half years ago in St Julian's, and the second in Qawra a year ago. As Fuego manager Mark Grima said, "to survive in this business... you have to be creative."

Ever at the forefront of innovation in the entertainment scene, Fuego are now launching boat trips from Fuego to Fuego. The boat trips will be run on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, in a traditional Maltese boat, a luzzu, which seats 50 people.

Each trip lasts no longer than 45 minutes, and leaves from St Julian's at 11.30 p.m., 1.30 and 3.15 a.m., and from Qawra at 12.45 a.m. Tickets cost Lm1.50 per person, which includes a free Sangria, and return trip.

A separate trip will also be held from Bugibba Square jetty to Fuego Qawra jetty, lasting no more than 15 minutes and costing 50c. These trips leave at 12.30 and 2.30 a.m.

Tickets are available from the Fuego salsa bars and leading hotels.

Mr Grima added: "the Maltese people get especially bored," which is why they offer girls' nights every Wednesday at Fuego Qawra, foam parties every Thursday with Garcia and Cliff Brookes (also at Qawra), Caribbean nights on Tuesdays at both bars and international DJs on Wednesdays at St Julian's starting at 1 a.m.

Fuego, being a bar, will always maintain their free entrance policy (including New Year's Eve) and their age policy (strictly over 18).

"Cultural tourism is a goldmine," Mr Grima said, "but you have to balance the market." He claims that the authorities' attempts at promoting Malta are not attracting the right mix of tourists - they mainly tend to be budget holiday makers and foreign language students, all of whom have very low spending power.

The 18-35 bracket, he claims, are the ones who can bring in the money, but foreigners tend to think of Malta as an ideal place for retirement. "I don't want Malta to be an Ibiza... far from it. But you have to balance the market."