The Institute of Tourism Studies could do with more space and would increase its intake if the premises could cater for growth, says its executive chairman Reginald Abela.

If it had the place, it would be able to satisfy the large demand from overseas students, which currently number around 50.

"As it is, preference is given to the Maltese even if they do not pay," says Mr Abela.

Although the institute is equipped on every level, incorporating a variety of laboratories, fully-fledged kitchens and restaurants, like its overseas counterparts it would also benefit from a small hotel on the premises, the chairman points out.

In line with the question of space, ITS is in the process of finalising its e-learning project, which means courses can be followed from home and are also accessible to foreigners.

The project aims also at supplementing formal classroom teaching with IT. Students can interact with their tutors and lectures can be carried out via the internet, explains ITS IT lecturer Ray Vassallo.

External full- and part-time students could follow online courses, for example for travel agents, he said, highlighting that many employees in the industry are lacking any formal training.

"The trend in Europe is that unqualified persons do not land jobs. We want to ensure that the Maltese in the industry are properly trained and certified to avoid any such problems."

ITS has also launched its new website, which already enjoys around 700 users, says Mr Vassallo, who feels that the e-learning concept is "quite revolutionary" and would have a ripple effect throughout the economy.

When it first opened in 1988, ITS catered for around 80 students but today the number has increased to 1,200, both full- and part-time.

According to the last tracer study, an average 75 per cent of the students are working in the industry while a number find jobs overseas. The tourism industry is "here to stay", so students are encouraged to join the institute. ITS is a higher education establishment and not a cookery or catering school, Mr Abela insists.

Although the students learn how to cook and a module on Maltese cuisine also exists, the focus is on how to manage a kitchen, with a complex course that includes work ethics, purchasing and hygiene.

Courses at ITS also include tour guiding, travel agency and hospitality management, among many other subjects connected to the tourism industry.

Most students, however, are interested in the kitchen, which is not surprising considering it is "the in thing" and the celebrity status that chefs have achieved nowadays, Mr Abela states.

The food preparation and production course at ITS is considered to be one of the more glamorous, but the four-year food and beverage service course has several openings too.

"A well-rounded food and beverage manager, who knows how to greet guests, step in at the right time, can sell a good wine and knows when to offer what, is an asset to an owner, even economically."

The institute is teeming with life at noon, with restaurants in full swing and students in the role of chefs, waiters and managers running the show and being assessed in the process.

With such rigorous training underway, it is hard to understand why service in the field is not always top quality.

But Mr Abela explains that, unfortunately, there is still the perception that "if you cannot do anything, at least you can be a waiter" and that many are not trained or prepared.

"A waiter needs to know all about ingredients and cooking methods, even allergies, and has to liaise with the chef while on the job." And ITS aims at an all-round preparation.

Ongoing food-related projects and exchanges at ITS include the 18-month Saperi and Sapori, in collaboration with Agrigento and Siracusa, which is resulting in a book on typical food, culture and history in Sicily and Malta.

Among other initiatives, the institute also organises courses for the public, in collaboration with APS Bank, on how to prepare typical Maltese preserves in a bid not to forget its roots.