Minister stresses need for high-yield tourists

The Golden Sands Hotel in Ghajn Tuffieha, which is to be demolished to make way for a five-star property, will trade under the name of Radisson SAS Golden Sands Resort & Spa, its management said yesterday.

It will be the second Radisson SAS property in Malta, after the Bay Point hotel.

The new Lm12 million hotel, which will boast a 1,000 square metre spa and leisure centre, will welcome its first guests in spring of 2005.

The contract was signed by Kurt Ritter, president and chief executive officer of Rezidor SAS Hospitality, and Island Hotels Group managing director Winston V. Zahra.

The original Golden Sands Hotel, which is perched on a cliff with breathtaking views, was originally built in the 1960s and was operated by the same family until Island Hotels Group purchased the property last January.

The Radisson SAS Golden Sands Resort and Spa will have 300 rooms and be equipped to handle conferences and incentive groups.

Mr Zahra thanked the Malta Environment and Planning Authority for issuing the permit for the works without delay. The project was unanimously approved at a public hearing on Thursday.

Tourism Minister Francis Zammit Dimech warned against complacency, especially at times of uncertainty which characterised the last three years in the tourism sector.

He stressed the importance of attracting high-yield tourists to Malta, a strategy which has been paying off in the last few years.

From January to October last year over 798,000 guest nights were spent in five-star hotels, a stark difference to 1998 when 486,486 guest nights were spent in five-star hotels.

Mr Ritter expressed satisfaction at the relationship established with Island Hotels Group in 1997 when the Radisson SAS Bay Point Resort opened in Malta.

He said his chain had chosen to continue growing and not to consolidate in spite of the crisis in worldwide tourism.

Radisson SAS is the fastest growing international hotel brand in Europe and now has more than 200 hotels in 40 countries.