Golf course saga (1)

So, another two years later and Lm500,000 lighter in consultancy fees, the government's promise to facilitate the building of a golf course in Malta and one in Gozo has got us nowhere. The lucrative golf tourism market still eludes the Maltese Islands. At the end of the day, the chosen site is unimportant. What is imperative is that such projects are brought to fruition without further delay, giving tourism another much needed niche to compete with our neighbouring resorts.

When Ix-Xaghra l-Hamra was announced as one of the chosen sites for a golf course, I was one of those sceptical people who thought it was far too good to be true and could not even begin to understand why this particular site was ever considered in the first instance, other than just to prolong the agony of the golf courses saga in Malta. The promises made at the time by the authorities, that they would take the decision to back the building of a golf course in Malta and one in Gozo, were obviously just a lot of hot air.

As one of those people who has spent his life working in the tourism industry and hold the firm belief that golf courses could and would enhance Product Malta, I am obviously disappointed that there seems to be no serious effort from the administration to secure such a project.

The only thing that they seem to have secured is a position for one of the ex-ministers who was turned down by the voters!