'Hotel for businesses' opened in Swatar

Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi yesterday inaugurated a new business centre in Swatar, which he described as a "hotel for businesses".

The Regus City Centre is a building full of offices that can be rented out for short or long periods and are supplemented with common kitchen and printing facilities.

"We take care of your office and everything else, while you take care of your business," Olivier de Lavalette, Regus's vice president said.

Regus is an international company based in 75 countries and in more than 1000 different locations.

It provides a flexible and convenient solution to travelling businessmen who need a place to work - but it also gives a chance for young companies to have fully functional offices without having to make a big investment.

Dr Gonzi thanked Regus for choosing to bring its business model to Malta, where every square inch of space is extremely valuable, making it expensive to buy property. He said it was nice to hear good news at a time of global economic slowdown.

Mr de Lavalette said Malta had been chosen because it is a growing economy, part of the EU, and full of trained and educated people.