The lap of luxury: Malta's Xara Hotel is expensive but attracts visitors from far and wide

Anyone considering doing business in Malta will need to know a few practical things about flights, hotels and so on - and more if they are thinking of living there. Writer Michael Imeson

Running an international business from a sunny island in the Mediterranean may have many advantages, but there are a few practical disadvantages too. An obvious drawback is that you cannot just jump on a train to get to a neighbouring country, as you can if, say, you are in London and want to go to Paris, or you are in Frankfurt and need to get to Brussels. But then, most international business trips are made by air anyway, and Malta, though in the southern Mediterranean, is no more than two or three hours from most places in Europe.

Air Malta, the national airline, flies to many countries in Europe, and to places such as Tunisia and New York. A large number of other airlines have services to the island, though British Airways is an exception - a gap partly filled by Ryanair, bmibaby and easyJet. Malta joined the Schengen area of the EU in 2008, which makes travelling to and from other members of the area much easier than travelling throughout the rest of the EU. It is only a 20-minute taxi ride (€15) from the airport to the capital.

Once there, the choice of hotels in and around Valletta, the capital, is more than adequate. The well-known international chains are present such as the Hilton, InterContinental, Le Méridien, Radisson Blu, and Westin, but there are other five-star hotels such as the Grand Hotel Excelsior, Corinthia Palace and Phoenicia - and all are on, or close to, the Mediterranean coastline. There is also the boutique, family-run Xara (pronounced 'shara') Palace, luxurious, individual and possibly the most expensive hotel on the island.

In terms of being understood, English is the joint official language along with Maltese, a big advantage for international firms located there, all of which are in or around Valletta.

"Today, Maltese is used in most sectors of public life, including parliament, the church, the press and other media, and in general conversation. English is generally the preferred medium of instruction in schools, especially at the higher levels of the educational system," explains Simon Ager, who runs www.omniglot.com.

Days off

As the island is only 27 kilometres long and 14.5km wide, it is easy to go sightseeing on days off or take a short boat trip to the quiet island of Gozo, with its striking Azure Window rock arch. There are not many beaches in Malta, as it is mainly rocky with cliffs, but there are plenty of sea and sun-based activities, historic buildings and sites to see, and classic Mediterranean food to eat.

The climate is warm and sunny, and even winter days can be pleasant, but it can get very hot in the summer in the urban areas (for details go to www.visitmalta.com). International Living, the magazine and website, last year rated Malta's climate as the best in the world, with 96 points out of 100. "These islands, undiscovered jewels that most people couldn't pinpoint on a map, offer blue skies and sunshine - even in January and February," it said.

Expatriate living

Although Malta joined the EU in 2004, until 2011 there are still restrictions placed on EU and European Economic Area (EEA) nationals who wish to work in the country. They must obtain a residence permit if they intend to live in Malta for more than three months, and an employment licence. Visitors from outside the EU/EEA may need a visa.

The top rate of income tax is 35%, which compares favourably with other EU countries, such as the UK, where the top rate increases from 40% to 50% this month. EU nationals resident in Malta can get free medical treatment at government-funded hospitals and clinics. The main hospital, Mater Dei Hospital, is new and exceptionally good by European standards.

Being a small, crowded island, there are limits on the types of residential property foreigners can buy, in order to keep prices affordable for locals. Generally, a foreign national can buy only one residential property to be used as his or her primary residence, or as a holiday home during part of the year, according to www.property-abroad.com. "Even for EU member state nationals, the ability to own real estate in the country is limited," it says. These restrictions are gradually relaxing to bring the country in line with the principles of the European single market.

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