Malta's underwater attractions will be available all year round

Diving enthusiasts will be pleased to know that Malta’s underwater attractions will now be available all year round.

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Malta is a seemingly small island, but the multitude of diving attractions that can be found off its shores is mind-blowing. Both when it comes to their quantity, as well as quality. Therefore, diving travellers will surely be pleased to know that Malta’s underwater attractions will now be available 365 days a year.

Those with diving experience in Malta are well aware of the phenomenon of disappearing ladders. Every year there came a moment when the ladders for getting out of the water were dismantled. This meant that winter had come and the diving season was over and from now on diving would no longer be possible.

The new arrangements will change that. In a bid to help the tourism sector, the authorities have decided that ladders will not be dismantled and popular sites will be available all year round. As part of the new strategy, the authorities are also considering providing parking near dive sites and setting up mooring buoys.

Malta’s underwater attractions – a new strategy

The Maltese government has announced a new strategy that focuses on increasing competitiveness in the diving industry. Dive tourism is a key sector for the country and competition is considerable. Croatia, Egypt, Cyprus and many other countries also place great emphasis on diving. After years of pandemics and travel restrictions, it was time to step up efforts to recover.

Éilis McCullough of Adi Associates, which developed the strategy, stressed that improving diving as an economic niche will require improving access to the country’s best dive sites and the infrastructure around them, as well as helping companies diversify their products.

One of the important changes to improve dive tourism is the change in the management of dive sites. Until now, different entities were responsible for them, including the Malta Tourism Organisation and local councils. Under the new arrangements, a single entity will now be responsible for all locations.

The strategy also includes establishing boundaries for dive sites and marine parks, as well as better safety management. Video surveillance systems will begin to be installed in Ċirkewwa this year.

The Maltese Government has also identified the potential for a niche market of technical d iving i.e. those diving below a depth of 50m. However, in this case a separate document will be produced, dedicated specifically to this area.

Photo: Marcin Pawełczyk/DIVERS24

Malta is a great place for a diving trip. Very diverse in terms of diving sites and level of difficulty. You can read more about diving in Malta in Carollina Wells’ article, which we published in issue 17. DIVERS24 quarterly! The digital version of the magazine is available free of charge, while the printed version can be purchased from our webshop.