Patrick Attard, Naxxar.
The pink euro
Studies show that gay couples fall under the Double-Income-No-Kids category and their spending pattern is different to other couples, and they spend more money on travelling.
Since Malta's economy thrives on tourism, it is very important not to underestimate this category, especially if we want to increase tourism in the off-peak seasons.
Other countries whose economies are based on tourism, like Austria, realised this, and one can find gay related brochures at the tourist centres of the cities.
In Malta, when I was a committee member of the Malta Gay Rights Movement and we were organising an LGBT festival, I went to the Valletta Tourist Office to leave some leaflets there. The people there were completely surprised if not shocked and after several phone-calls from the staff to the supervisor or director, I just walked out.
Gays are not a burden on the country.
They have a lot to offer. We should not be afraid from them, throw them out of the country or force them to live a lie.
Now the time for change has come. If this chance is lost, the next one will be in five years. Vote for the people who will take you seriously. Vote Alternattiva Demokratika.
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Al Buhagiar
Feb 22nd 2008, 10:35
I agree whole heartedly with Patrick Attard's comments especially about the Tourist Office mentioned. I once compiled a Fact Sheet that was aimed at Gay & Lesbian tourists in Malta. It bore information like addresses of the different restaurants, hotels, bars & clubs that cater for LGBT crowd, and/or are known as gay-friendly (yes, there are still many homophobic establishments in Malta), and other information. The girls at the Tourist Office in Valletta simply looked at me and said: sorry, but we can not promote and be associated with such things.
To be honest, I laughed at this but then I asked myself: do we really know who we are turning away? Do we really know what these visitors are worth? As Patrick rightly said, we fall under the D.I.N.K. Category and no government in his right mind would brush a potentially strong Euro, albeit Pink, aside. The Mayors of Barcelona and Madrid has opened the doors to the gay tourist. So has the Mayor of Paris, London, Berlin, Cologne. Smaller cities have turned derelict buildings into Gay Villages and are proving very successfully. Across Europe, there are several travel agents catering for this market, that although is niche, is very strong! Big companies are not afraid to endorse big events like Gay Pride and the city even includes in that year's Calendar of Events. In Malta, the responsable authorities simply say: we do not want to be associated with such events. I could go on and mention more countries and cities that are embracing the Pink Euro, Dollar or whatever currency but I think I mentioned enough.
It is, perhaps, indeed time for a change!