Labour calls for visa alternatives

The government should come up with an effective alternative for the issuing of visas in countries where Malta is not represented by an embassy or officials who could issue visas, before the Schengen agreement comes into effect, Labour's tourism spokesman Evarist Bartolo said yesterday.

Mr Bartolo said that by the end of the year, tourism from non-EU countries would be badly affected because visas for visitors from such countries would have to start being issued in the country of departure and not by the destination.

Tourism operators who brought over thousands of tourists from countries such as Russia, Serbia and Macedonia were worried that it was becoming more difficult for tourists from these countries to come to Malta because it would be more problematic for their visa to be issued, especially where the country did not have an embassy.

So the government should, in the remaining months before the agreement came into effect, launch an effective alternative for the issuing of such visas.

While last year saw a drop in tourists from Malta's traditional markets, there was an increase from countries that were not in the EU, including Russia.

Malta, Mr Bartolo said, could not afford to lose more tourists.