Bid to boost the tourism industry

In his letter Tourism: A Global View (July 22), Joe Vella asserts that "change is remorselessly constant" and suggests that Malta replaces its diminishing British tourist market by those of Asia, Eastern Europe and America.

By historical accident Malta is geared up for British lower to middle social strata tourism that remains predominant and, until recently, has expanded year on year. I agree with him that this is now in decline but invite him to consider why that is so, why British tourists have gone elsewhere and that if the traditional traffic cannot be maintained then what are the prospects for an unknown source that has had no previous connections with Malta.

The Maltese tourist industry is English speaking but how will it cope with Japanese, Serbo-Croat and USAnian?

Mr Vella cites 35 million Americans of the Association of Retired Persons who will come to Malta to learn lace making or join an archaeological dig. Somehow I cannot see it but all avenues should be explored, as Mr Vella seems to chide those afraid of "risky ventures".

He may recall our meeting last year in Sliema when he, an American of Maltese origin, was in Malta for the first time in 20 years while this Englishman had visited Malta annually for the last 40 years since leaving the RAF. Mr Vella was staying with Maltese friends while I was in the milieu of bingo-loving British boozers at Robby Borg's Palm Court of Qawra. Will this nationality question change overnight when Malta needs tourists in hotel beds now and next year?

There is no place for platitudes in the cut-throat business of tourism but all that are interested in Malta agree that it needs fewer but higher class visitors if only because the infrastructure is shuddering under the present (even if diminished) load. High-end tourists such as Mr Vella envisages will not travel long haul like cattle on low-cost airlines that some Maltese believe to be the panacea for all problems - though this octogenarian pensioner has no qualms about using Mr Borg's excellent facilities for short haul.

The Malta-based cruise liners that Mr Vella mentions are Asian not Maltese and who gets the major part of the profit?

Yes, yes dear Mr Vella, tell us again of the ancient temples that to the average tourist are items like Popeye Village while the cognoscenti are aware that the stones have been vandalised, toppled and broken by those same individuals that harass any tourist trying to explore what little is left of Malta's countryside. Having said that I must watch my doors here in fair Barnsley for arsonists have bicycles these days.

Mr Vella speaks of Malta's hospitals but St Luke's is a relic of the days of the Empire and will Mater Dei ever open?

Concerning his evoking of Baroque churches, now would an average Japanese tourist (any more than your typical European) recognise the mannerist façade of St John's Co-Cathedral-even if it fell on him?

Tourism is a volatile trade and news travels fast on the internet, so those interested should read reports on Maltese hotels in such sites as Holidays Uncovered. I do not need to list the shortcomings of Malta as a holiday resort and, in any case, that would only evoke the standard Maltese riposte that things are as bad in other countries. It is Malta that we are considering and tourists are voting with their feet. If tourism collapses then you will be reduced to taking in each other's washing.