Someone's got to do it

Given the expected volumes of Maltese flocking to the sister island of Gozo for their vacations, whether for a day or longer, I thought I should convey this message to our beloved brothers and sisters in Gozo.

On my part visiting Gozo has always been a pleasant experience, irrespective of whether it is a short stay in winter or a routine visit to our union headquarters in Victoria. I must admit, however, that the 20-minute crossing may not always be the best part of my trip as I am not immune to sea sickness.

A couple of days ago, together with one of my colleagues, we set course to Gozo early in the morning to avoid the rush hour, usually after 9 a.m. On the ferry we helped ourselves to a cup of tea and delved into the local dailies for the ritual information collection exercise. Soon we were joined by senior members of my colleague's family, including a Jesuit presently on holiday. They were on a day trip to pay tribute to Our Lady at Ta' Pinu.

Light conversation ensued as an elderly relative of my colleague remarked about the changes, both good and bad, he notices each time he visits these small islands at regular intervals. He had left over 40 years ago in search of new opportunities but is still proud of his citizenship of Malta. He spoke with passion and verve. I was fascinated.

I bombarded this gentleman with a multitude of questions. Soon I realised that revisiting this small country - sometimes long overdue - remains a dream of many Maltese who, for different reasons, left years ago and raised their families in other countries all over the world.

I thought: Can we promote the achievements we secured over the years among the Maltese citizens living abroad, scattered across the globe? Enticing these "ambassadors" and their families and friends to visit Malta and Gozo may prove more fruitful than any other public relations campaign.

However, we must ensure they are well pampered when in Malta or Gozo and well informed about the attractions worth a visit. While personal contact remains the best way to achieve the desired results, personalised electronic mail will certainly help in this regard to reach such an audience.

The trip to Gozo seemed faster as we engaged in conversation which, I must admit, prompted me to pen down this piece.

During our stay in Gozo, which lasted a couple of hours, we had to make the best of our tight schedule but, nonetheless, we left enough time for lunch, as usually happens. I must say I was pleasantly surprised with the level of service and courteous greetings extended by the staff of the restaurant we visited.

We indulged in food that was well presented, and downed a good bottle of locally-produced wine. With time pressing for our next activity, the bill was on its way; to my delight it was far more reasonable than what I had expected. Value for money remains the open secret to success whether in entrepreneurship or government.

On our way back, both my colleague and I were satisfied with the results of our meetings and with the beauty, cleanliness and charm of Gozo and the Gozitans.

I must confess that this day experience in Gozo erased from my mind the negative attitude which the sister island earned over the past months or perhaps years as the number of visitors to Gozo, including those from Malta, dwindled.

Gozo would certainly enjoy a good reputation among holiday makers, including us Maltese, if all those involved in the tourism sector there were to heed, even if belatedly, some useful advice.

In Malta we do not market Gozo as a tourist destination for us Maltese but we certainly do so through whispers and rumours that spread like wildfire. Gozo is an excellent holiday destination for Maltese and foreign tourists alike, provided there are no price hikes. The rest will fall in place as Gozo has all the ingredients of an upmarket tourist destination.

Someone's got to do it... Let the whispering be in your favour, and perhaps then we Maltese can learn from your positive experience and results.

Mr Vella is secretary general of the Union Haddiema Maghqudin.

gvella@uhm.org.mt