Let's get the job done!

Following my intervention at the Malta Hotels and Restaurants' Association's meeting last Tuesday I read with interest the comments by the chairman of the Malta Tourism Authority.

Romwald Lungaro-Mifsud twice stated that the year ahead looks optimistic if everybody pulled the same rope and steered clear of personal agendas. I would like to assure Mr Lungaro-Mifsud that I only have one personal agenda: to improve the profitability of the commercial entities that depend on the success of the tourism industry and to protect the thousands of jobs that depend on this success.

Mr Lungaro-Mifsud is well aware that I have made a number of efforts to support the process but this will not stop me from calling a spade a spade. Throughout last Wednesday I received numerous calls and messages from my colleagues in the industry and from a number of officials within the MTA expressing their appreciation to me for bringing the issues mentioned to the fore.

Within the MTA it has been said that the reason I spoke up is because I am gunning for the MHRA presidency or for the MTA chairmanship post. Just to avoid any confusion on this matter, I publicly declare I am not interested in either post.

The facts are:

Fact 1 - The Prime Minister set a target of 50,000 tourists per year for the next three years for MTA to achieve. No mention was ever made of this being an optimum target and that the realistic target was 50 per cent of this.

Reality 1 - Last year an increase of just over 14,000 visitors was registered but revenues fell by Lm5 million.

Fact 2 - The target for this year is for further growth of 50,000 tourists or, as stated by the Tourism Minister, 70,000 tourists to make up for the missed target in 2005.

Reality 2 - The first quarter of 2006 is indicating a sharp drop in business, and advance bookings for summer, coupled with the problem of reduced air capacity, are very worrying for the industry. The reality that one major operator has already said it is pulling out of Malta and a second major operator is dropping the same hints to makes the matter more precarious. If people in industry were confident that an extra 70,000 tourists would visit the island this year spending an average of nine nights each and retaining the average spend per person then I do not think there would have been the reaction there was at last Tuesday's meeting.

Fact 3 - In January 2005, a road map was drawn up for the restructuring of the MTA. I have a copy of this road map complete with all the target dates that were set.

Reality 3 - If the MTA publishes this road map and realistically measures what has been achieved and when it was achieved, then everyone can draw one's conclusions.

Fact 4 - For the past few years, the European tourism industry has headed in the direction of major low cost airlines and internet bookings. This area has rapidly become the strongest area of growth. Low cost airlines seek financial incentives to commence operations and, in effect, their business has to be "bought" by the destination.

Reality 4 - We have procrastinated on this issue for the past two years. The minister's statement that we are close to an agreement is a surprise and, unfortunately, looks like a knee jerk reaction to what was said on Tuesday. Discussions are being held with low cost airlines but they are not being headed by the government or by government officials. This was a job the Tourism Ministry and the MTA should have wrapped up a long time ago while taking into consideration the effect on both our national airline and other national airlines flying to the island. A solution to the current impasse must be found and a deadline must be set immediately for the matter to be brought to a head.

Fact 5 - We represent half a billion liri of investment and thousands of jobs.

Reality 5 - We have a duty and obligation to protect our investment, secure future investment, protect current jobs and create future jobs. We will say whatever we have to say and do whatever we have to do in order to ensure we live up to our obligations.

My appeal is to stick to the facts. Let's not get personal and let's listen to what the industry has to say and not bury our heads in the sand. Let's save the marketing spin for marketing efforts overseas and not for local political games. Most importantly, let's stop wasting time and get the job done once and for all.