I get a monthly email newsletter from aboutmalta.com - below are two interesting items from the December issue: Malta to join Schengen on December 21
Malta prepares for euro (January 2008) When we traveled in Malta in 2005, the conversion rate of the Maltese lira to the dollar was pretty bad, and we wished we could've used euros. I don't think we'd make that same wish today!
Posts: 14283 | Location: The Beautiful San Francisco Bay Area | Registered: 06 August 2001
Malta, along with Tunisia and the Czech Republic, is considered to be one of the three best travel deals economically in this area of the world. It will be interesting to see if that remains true after the Euro!
It will be interesting to see if that remains true after the Euro!
Diana, I'm not sure whether the comparative value of the places you mention has to do so much with their currencies or with other economic factors. Hasn't the Czech koruna, for instance, been pegged to the Euro? It has already risen against the dollar since the end of May and by the same percentage as the Euro. When we were there, we could get about 22 koruna to the dollar; now it's only about 17.5. If you do the math, that's about the same percentage (about 30%), in the same amount of time, that the dollar has fallen against the Euro.
Ann, I am not talking about the exchange rate, but rather prices in general. These three countries were listed as economical places to travel for Europeans. I just wonder if Malta will experience the inflation which countries like Italy did when it switched over.
I agree! The report, which was on RAI, focused on those three countries. I don't know if Turkey is a major destination for Italians--it certainly is for Germans, as you probably experienced, WT (Turks are the largest minority group in Germany, comprising 40 percent of all foreigners).
We have had some of our best, lowest cost vacations in Turkey. In fact, I could use a week right now
The Germans are everywhere!! We have been amazed at the German RV's that really are more common in every nook and cranny around Europe.
The Brits are around a lot in Spain and France, and there are lots of Italians,French and Netherland people in various spots. But we have found the German's the dominant travelers in almost every area.
Yes, they do love Turkey too. ( I did not know that Turkey was a large minority there).
With all that you give during your season, I think you should go for it.
Slow Travel Talk 
We have been amazed at the German RV's that really are more common in every nook and cranny around Europe.
