It hasn't always been like this. just a decade ago no one would have thought that Malta's tourism industry would recover to the point where the authorities would say "cool it". The economic recession in Europe, coupled with a bad press as a result of Malta's flirtation with Libya, battered the islands' tourism industry during the first half of the 1980s. From a high of more than 728,000 visitors at the start of the decade, the figure had dropped to less than half a million by 1984. In 1985, the figure shrank to 256,468, and some operators lost confidence in the destination, and stopped featuring Malta in their brochures.

Yet if one had to pinpoint a single event that triggered Malta's tourism renaissance, it would have to be the visit of a British warship in August 1985. Awaiting HMS Brazen as it entered the Grand Harbour some years ago, escorted by a flotilla of yachts and pleasure-boats, were thousands of Maltese who gave the frigate a rousing welcome. HMS Brazen was the first Royal Navy ship to come into harbour since 1979, when the Military Facilities Agreement with Britain expired. "For us, and we are sure, for Britain too, this occasion marks the beginning of a new and more rewarding phase in Anglo-Maltese co-operation," said the then foreign affairs minister, Alex Sciberras, Trigona.

It did. Malta once again became a popular holiday destination for sun-hungry Britons. It also sparked off the rediscovery of the islands by continental Europeans tired of flamencos and bouzouki. Some, however, took their liking of Malta to the extreme. A Swiss banker invited 22 friends to dinner, asking them to meet him at Zurich airport, and to bring an overnight bag. The restaurant was in Malta. Guests were flown in on the banker's private aircraft, for dinner at the Hotel Phoenicia, and were flown back to Switzerland the next day.

But most travellers visit Malta in a more conventional way. The majority arrive on package tours for a traditional fortnight of sun, sea, but - in this case - few sandy beaches. To cater for this bonanza, hotels of every category have mushroomed, and more are under construction. And some 900 eateries of all kinds help feed Malta's visitors and residents. There are probably more pizzerias per square kilometre here than in Italy.

The resurgence of tourism has also spurred the introduction of ancillary services, particularly in the entertainment and leisure fields. Today, the Maltese islands can boast of offering just about everything that is available in longer established tourist resorts. These additional services are not just a means of enhancing the tourism product, but compensate for the fact that the islands have no natural resources. The only materials are location, mild climate, and 6000 thousand years of prehistory and history.

At the centre of the Mediterranean, Malta has been occupied by the French, British, Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Arabs, Normans, and Spanish, and the Knights of the Order of St. John had a marked influence of the islands' history. Invasions have left indelible marks on Malta's landscape and people. The historical potpourri is reflected in the people of the islands, who have no physical stereotype. Most Maltese are olive-skinned and dark-eyed, with dark hair; but others are fair-skinned, with blue eyes and red or blonde hair. Surnames are a good indication of the ethnic mix of the country. Maltese surnames can be of Arabic, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, British, Greek, Cypriot, or Levantine derivation.

Folklore and customs have evolved from the islands' stoical Catholicism and from their occupation by the Knights of St. John. Most national dances depict manual labour, mainly farming and fishing, and the struggle against the Ottoman Turks. But the highlight of traditional life is the village festa, celebrating parish patron saints. Religious processions are followed by lavish fireworks displays, with each parish vying to outdo its neighbour in noise. Religious life climaxes on Good Friday, with processions in Valletta, Mosta, and other main towns and villages. Those who have made vows can be seen barefoot or chained, carrying heavy wooden crosses during the processions. This is not about theatrics - the Maltese are zealous about their faith. Faith helped build well over 300 churches in Malta and Gozo. Mgarr church, for example, was built with the proceeds of parishioners' weekly contributions of vegetables, eggs, and fowls.

Because it is geographically isolated, traditions and values have survived with little change. And this is Malta's charm - a cosmopolitan, emotional, carefree society steeped in history and tradition; deeply religious, hospitable, and tolerant.