Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1525429
OVER 61,000 vehicles have used the ferry to travel from Malta to Gozo in the last seven days alone as many Maltese take advantage of the Santa Marija public hol- iday to vacation and party on the sister island. Every year, thousands of Maltese travel to Gozo for a layover during the week of Santa Marija, celebrated on Thursday. The weeks leading up to and immedi- ately following the holiday are some of the most lucrative for the Gozo tourist and leisure industry. Because while many Maltese also travel abroad during this week (see story on Page 11), many others prefer a short hop on the ferry to reach Gozo, with many hotel rooms and private rental accommodation having been booked months in advance. And in the seven days up to Thursday, over 61,000 vehicles made that trip to Gozo. That figure is solely for vehicles and drivers and does not include any ad- ditional passengers. The number of vehicles travelling on Gozo Channel vessels to Gozo started picking up on Friday 11 August, when 11,477 made the trip. The highest number of vehicles was registered on Saturday, when 12,120 trav- elled to Gozo. in the ensuing four days, numbers hov- ered from 7,900 on Sunday, slowly rising to 10,871 on Wednesday. And on Thursday, the day of the public holiday, more than 4,000 had made the trip by noon, GozoToday learned. The feast of Santa Marija marks Oper- ation Pedestal, the World War II convoy that saved the islands. At the height of severe enemy bombard- ment in 1942 just five merchant ships out of 14 that set sail from Britain reached the Grand Harbour. The heavily crippled ships brought much needed food and fuel sup- plies that averted the islands' surrender. Operation Pedestal completed its journey on 15 August, the feast of the Assumption in the Christian calendar, when the tanker Ohio that was taking in water was escorted slowly into the Grand Harbour as people looked on from the surrounding bastions. The Christian feast of the Assumption is celebrated in seven parishes across Malta and Gozo: Mosta, Għaxaq, Gudja, Mqab- ba, Qrendi, Attard and Victoria. The parishes of Dingli, Mġarr and Żebbuġ in Gozo, celebrate the feast on Sunday. SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL FRIDAY 16 AUGUST 2024 • ISSUE 007 • PUBLISHED EVERY FRIDAY gozotoday €1.00 Thousands travel to Gozo over Santa Marija holiday week Gozo resident wins €750,000 in online casino first A lucky player in Gozo has scooped up a mind-blowing €750,177 jackpot in an online casino first for the Maltese is- lands. This win not only sets a new record as the largest online casino victory at Lot- toland but also probably stands as the biggest casino win ever from the Maltese islands. PAGE 4 The jackpot winner, identified as Mr L. celebrates his online win PAUL COCKS pcocks@mediatoday.com.mt