Need to revive tourist industry

The preoccupation of tourism operators about the current situation is shared by one and all. Tourism, the second largest world industry, dominates a third of our country's economy. More than 40,000 workers make a living out of tourism.

I cannot but note with sadness how this sector has been neglected by successive Nationalist governments. Year after year, the number of tourists has decreased. Earnings have dropped too. Enormous debts are burdening Air Malta and many of the airline's employees are concerned about their future.

The same applies to the accommodation industry. A substantial number of hotels are suffering losses and this adds to the general feeling of preoccupation. The jobs of their employees are at stake.

Add to this the environmental neglect and we end up with a dismal picture. The same holds true for historical and archaeological sites. All this has been brought about through the incompetence shown all along by successive Nationalist administrations.

The sector needs immediate attention in order to stop the deterioration and for Malta to attract high-quality tourists. This would generate greater business and help create more jobs.

Workers employed in the sector have to bear in mind that they too have to shoulder their responsibilities. They have an important role to play in the efforts to improve the tourism product.

It is wrong for anyone to take anything for granted. This also applies to operators and all those who are responsible in leading public entities in the sector.

Ultimately, responsibility for the sector falls squarely on the shoulders of the politicians. Their duties and responsibilities are greater than those of others. Too much depends on this sector. They have to give an example to the operators, the workers and those entrusted with the leadership of public entities in the sector.

It is high time that all those involved in tourism reflect on and analyse seriously the present situation. We have to look reality straight in the eye and realise that the sector is currently very feeble.

We have to revive it and do away with all the uncertainty that has creeped in under the Nationalist administration.

I sincerely wish that all investors, operators and their associations in the sector as well as the workers and their unions would inject new life in the sector for the good of the economy and of the Maltese and Gozitan workers whose livelihood depends on it.

Mr Cuschieri is Labour spokesman for tourism, Air Malta and hotels.