MTA's CEO steps down

High-ranking officials of the Malta Tourism Authority seem to have a short lifespan - chief executive officer David Mifsud yesterday tendered his resignation after a mere nine months at the helm of the seemingly plagued authority.

A well-placed source indicated that Mr Mifsud was asked to resign due to the fact that tourism industry stakeholders felt there was "insufficient liaison" with him and a lack of understanding on his part.

The issue had been raised by various quarters and had become even more evident at the MTA's last general meeting, particularly from Mr Mifsud's response to questions, the source said.

It was more a question of approach and tact on Mr Mifsud's part towards the industry than a matter of his administrative capabilities.

In fact, the source said tourism figures from November to April had consistently registered growth over the corresponding months of the previous year, and in some cases, two years back.

Asked whether the MTA had suffered another - and most unnecessary - blow, the source said it was positive that the Tourism Ministry and the MTA had acted immediately on the feedback and complaints received.

"It would be wrong to discount everything positive that has been achieved in the past months, including what Mr Mifsud has done himself - from new marketing strategies to the engagement of Media Consulta and the organisation of the foreign offices."

Mr Mifsud did not comment when asked to.

The MTA chairman, Sam Mifsud, preferred to stick to the authority's simple statement, saying that the CEO had decided to tender his resignation yesterday morning.

He concurred that it was not what the authority needed right now.

"Not at all," he said, adding that it had no one else in mind to occupy the post at this stage and that a call for applications would be issued and all options considered.

"Unfortunately, I don't know what went through his mind. He resigned for his own reasons," the chairman said.

The MTA, which seemed to be settling down and moving on, said the Tourism Ministry had accepted Mr Mifsud's resignation with immediate effect and instructed it to immediately start the process of identifying a suitable person to occupy the post.

The MTA has seen other short-lived careers in the past. Its former chairman, Romwald Lungaro Mifsud, had stepped down less than halfway through his contract.

The entire MTA board, except for chairman Sam Mifsud, had resigned en bloc in October over a probe into how a draft confidential letter the chairman had planned to send to Brand Malta's Norwegian consultant Christian Sinding was leaked to the press.

Soon after, the resignation of the authority's marketing director, Jeffrey Cutajar, had sent more ripples through the industry.

A former managing director of an electronics company, Mr Mifsud took over the MTA on September 1, marking the second major appointment at the authority, following the selection of Sam Mifsud as chairman.

The two had taken over at a difficult, crucial and delicate time for the industry - arrivals had hit a 10-year low and the MTA was coming under increasing pressure to deliver.

Tourism Minister Francis Zammit Dimech had heaped praise on his track record, expressing his optimism that he would inject the MTA with energy and describing him as "a highly dynamic, determined, hands-on and no-nonsense person".

At the MTA annual conference last month, David Mifsud had described the past few months as crucial for the tourism industry, saying it was a time for make-or-break decisions to be taken; time to turn the tide and for substantial change within the authority.

To deal with the rapid changing of the international scenarios head on, the necessary resources were required, Mr Mifsud had hinted, encouraging personal agendas to be put aside.