From Malta to Madeira

Two recurring subjects in The Times pages last week were the drop in the number of tourists and the opening of the hunting season. I ask, how strong is the relationship between these two themes?

My wife and I adore coming to Malta. We have many lovely memories of simply delightful moments. To name but a few, the pantomime at the Manoel Theatre, the friendly shopkeepers, a wonderful wine bar in Valletta, the chef who cooked us rabbit stew specially. We think the buses are great. The Easter processions superb. The festa fireworks spectacular. Christmas and Easter displays wonderful. Usually, we even like the weather. We know it isn't all perfect, but we like to come back, time and again.

So why are we going to Madiera this year?

Last year we set out to walk around the island in stages, following the coastline and visiting several corners that were strange to us. We could not make good progress with this harmless project. We found that information is in short supply, although the tourist authority has published at least three cross-island routes for walkers.

We experienced paths that, although on the map, had disappeared or were blocked by gates and rubble. We walked past men firing guns, although to be fair they ceased as we approached. Unfriendly "Keep Off" and "No Entry" signs abound.

As occasional birdwatchers, we were upset to find few birds flying, the reasons being pretty obvious. I do not oppose hunting, but it is clear from last week's writers that many Maltese hunters shoot for pleasure, not for the pot.

Please understand our nervousness at the possibility of being shot due to committing an inadvertent trespass, or being the victims of an "accident".

We walked past lines of songbirds. Unfortunately, they were all in cages, acting as decoys to catch more birds. We found this caused us much sadness. I see no real progress reported in breeding captive songbirds as opposed to catching them.

In stark contrast, Madiera offers many paths along its levada waterways that are a well-documented tourist attraction and a source of local business in transport and guiding. On my only visit there so far, I did not see any evidence of bird trapping.

I observe that, following protests about Maltese hunting and trapping practices, the magazine of the main birdwatching magazine in the UK now refuses advertising for Maltese tourism. This caused some discussion, but the "bottom line" is that a million UK residents in a prime spending tourist segment were strongly put off coming to Malta. Are they, like me, very reluctantly voting with their feet?

If the hunting (and conservation?) association choose to conserve rather than hunt, to shoot with cameras instead of guns and to welcome walkers through clearly marked paths, this could be a tremendous boost to the Maltese tourist economy and create much good-will abroad.

Above is a photograph that I took in Egypt at Christmastime. The thrill of obtaining trophies like this is far more precious and long lasting than blasting a bunch of mangled feathers out of the sky. I, and many others, would pay good sums to guides and landowners for the opportunity to take more photos like this. Friends who have seen these photos are heading for Egypt. Is it time for Malta to put the guns away?