An economic contributor

The government is doing its best to stimulate the tourism industry and this is leaving its mark. This has been proved by the recent data released by the National Statistics Office - NSO. The situation was not only better in the first six months of this year when compared to the same period last year but an increase was registered when compared to the same period in the last six years. Even the amount of money spent during the tourists' stay in Malta rose, which means more money into the Maltese economy.

The statistic published by NSO shows that during the January - June period, Lm172.7 million were spent on the island. When compared with the same period in 2006 this shows an increase of Lm6 million. The same statistics indicate that there has been a record number of tourists in the first six months of the year, usually labelled as shoulder months and accompanied by a decrease in the number of visitors.

This success is being achieved thanks to the holistic approach the government is taking in tackling the tourism sector, a delicate and sensitive industry that is closely linked to other sectors such as the service industry and the environment.

American expert Laura McKenzie rated Malta as the third safest tourist destination in the world. Another positive certificate for the Maltese government considering that the McKenzie study took into account low crime rate, good food and drink, low risk of terrorist attacks and excellent health services.

The American expert, who appears regularly on TV channels linked to tourism, such as Discovery Channel and Travel Channel, encourages people to explore our picturesque villages and alleys, areas she usually discourages her audiences to visit.

The Maltese product does not limit itself to the traditional aspect, although it still plays a very important role in the industry. That is why it is important to promote trades and draw up more schemes in the areas of woodwork and stone restoration, two areas that are linked directly to the traditional Maltese house.

An event such as the fireworks festival and cultural exhibitions such as the Silent Warriors have offered an alternative attraction for the culture aficionados.

The tourism sector is also based on events that attract the masses, activities such as sports competitions, festivals, concerts etc. With our Mediterranean climate, we can make full use of the outdoors potential. This is being done and world-famous artistes are being attracted to our shores.

Top stars such as Bryan Adams, Josè Carreras, Robert Plant, Riccardo Muti and our own Joseph Calleja all gave memorable performances and are furthering our island's reputation as an entertainment destination.

Another event that boosted this status is the Isle of MTV concert, a free show that brought over to our shores singers that one usually only sees on TV or listens to on CDs.

High-level sports events, such as the P1 power boat race, attract enthusiasts to our shores and give Malta exposure on sports channels worldwide. The all-year-round approach in the organisation of events is leaving its mark. Activities such as Notte Bianca, Lejlet Lapsi in Gozo, carnival and other concerts and festivals are contributing to the renewal of the tourism industry.

Our aim is to remain relevant in an ever-changing market and to do so we must offer a service that is not cheap but has value added. We can achieve this by marketing Malta as a unique experience that offers much more than it costs.

With the internet playing such an important role in today's world, we must continue to leave our mark on this medium. In January 2007, the Malta Tourism Authority launched the portal visitmalta.com, attracting 1.5 million visitors.

In the pre-budget document it was revealed that the aim of the government is for tourism operators to have their own website in order to better handle and boost their businesses.

The promotional aspect of tourism is also boosted by the work that will be carried out by Media Consulta, a major European marketing and advertising company that will sell Malta in core markets.

To enhance the tourists' experience, part of the structural funds will be devoted to improve our product.

These funds will be used to upgrade tourist facilities and key historical sites while at the same time a new scheme will be launched to assist tourism enterprises. This scheme will run on similar lines to the one launched in the previous round of structural funds.

In an ever-globalised society we must continue our work to generate as many attractions as possible by exploiting niche markets. We must be capable of offering a varied and enviable calendar of events that would bring more visitors to our islands who would, in turn, promote our country with their friends and relatives back home. We must keep in mind that there is no better exposure then first-hand experience.

Mr Casa is a Nationalist member of the European Parliament.

david.casa@europarl.europa.eu, www.davidcasa.eu