Tourism in Malta

  • Malta, Israel's new gateway to Europe

    ISRAEL, 2014/02/14 Seven couples of merry retirees took their seats at the front of the plane, just ahead of us. They exchanged impressions about hotels and exhibited impressive familiarity with the island’s restaurants. Five days later, we met them again at the airport in Valletta, the capital. This time, the conversation centered on their gambling experiences. It appears that relatively inexpensive package deals have placed Valletta high on the list of favorite Israeli gambling destinations, along with Rhodes, Burgas, Varena and other cities a mere two- or three-hour flight away. As is the case every Tuesday, last week, as well, on Feb. 4, the Malta Air charter flight that took off from Ben-Gurion Airport was jam-packed. Some three or four years ago, Israeli tourists discovered that the small island is a gem, offering magical landscapes and four lavish casinos.