Irish couples make for Malta to wed

Neans McSweeney

Specialists in wedding travel, Belle Air Holidays, say younger couples in particular are heading for the sun with family and friends, anxious to get value for money and enjoy their time in the sun. Celebrating abroad also leaves them with plenty of cash for a deposit on their home.

“We have packages, including accommodation, which start from just E500 per person. And you can book a meal in a local restaurant for as little as E20 per person. We did about 50 bookings last year and we’re just one of dozens of companies who have loads of bookings for this year,” said wedding specialist Yvonne Brown.

“From holiday fairs we’ve been at so far, the trend is growing. It’s like a queue for confession at some of the fairs, such is the demand. Thousands of couples are heading abroad at this stage,” she said.

While some couples head further afield to Barbados, the US or even Australia to tie the knot, the appeal of Malta is that it’s just three-and-a-half hours from either Dublin or Cork by air and is great value for money, Ms Brown said.

With a holiday fair about to kick off in Cork this weekend, figures show we’re spending more money and more time abroad.

Last year’s record spend of E1 million on package holidays in the sun is set to be broken, travel agents believe.

With holiday trends changing every year, those looking for value for money are snapping up short-stay holidays to Florida, and the shopping capital of the world, New York, because of the weak dollar.

Those who want to see what’s hot on the holiday front are expected to flock to the three-day Holiday World Show Cork 2005 at the Silversprings Moran Hotel from this evening.