We may not always admit to it but the majority of us always sneak something out of the hotel room before checking out. Ariadne Massa finds out that Tourism Minister Francis Zammit Dimech and his Labour counterpart Evarist Bartolo are no different.
Francis Zammit Dimech
What are your memories of your first trip?
My first trip was to Vienna in 1974 with a group of students flying through an NSTF special offer. I shall never forget the joy of seeing snow for the first time in my life. On this trip, I also found out that you can warm up red wine!
What's your favourite destination?
By far, Rome. I love shopping there and excellent food is always round the corner. I am now familiar with the main cultural venues and I admire the Roman way of life.
Who is your best travelling companion?
Members of my private secretariat. They know my likes and dislikes very well and they've even learnt how to use my DVD camcorder although most times I take full control of this device myself - it's a hobby I really relish. Come to think of it, the camcorder and my notebook are my best travelling companions.
Have you ever flown on a low-cost airline?
No, but I would love to try.
What do you take back with you from a hotel room? Confess... even if it's a bar of soap.
The hotel magazine and a bar of soap are the most I've carried back home with me. My mum loves soaps that come in different shapes and sizes and she keeps them as a memento of my travels. Of course, I get her other gifts.
The best thing we can give a tourist is...
An authentic touch of our way of life. Tourists are thrilled when we treat them like members of our family, such as inviting them home for a glass of wine. More importantly, we should offer a genuine smile, warmth and true hospitality.
The worst experience a tourist can face is...
Being ripped off. A discerning tourist does not mind paying a high price as long as s/he gets value in return for the money spent and as long as s/he is not charged a different price from the Maltese.
The most embarrassing thing about Malta is...
The lack of cleanliness. Unfortunately, most fail to treat public areas with the same care and attention they give their abodes. We could also do with more maintenance projects. I believe one area, which deserves attention, is to start factoring in, on a percentage basis, the cost for the upkeep of any project we carry out.
To me, Malta's most beautiful asset is...
Its cultural heritage and history. Where else would you find 7,000 years of different layers of history, all within 216 square kilometres? You can practically walk from one phase of history to another and it's all real - we just need to be more aware and appreciative of it.
Is it the quality or the quantity of tourists that matters?
When you're the minister responsible for tourism, you know that your neck is on the line if you don't get the quantity right. Month after month you're probed about how many tourists came to Malta, from which country, how many bed nights they spent, the number of cruise liner passengers, and so on and so forth. However, the more you get to know what the industry needs, the more you realise that quality is more important, at least from the point of view of spending power.
Evarist Bartolo
What are your memories of your first trip?
My first trip abroad was by ferry and train to Catania, Naples and Rome. It was organised in 1970 by the Mellieħa Sports Club to thank football players for a good season. At the time, I played with the under-18 team. I remember one guy kept saying he wasn't impressed with what he saw because everything in Malta was so much better. When we stepped into St Peter's Basilica, he said: "Why do they make such a fuss about this place? Our church in Paola is bigger!"
What's your favourite destination?
I do not have one favourite destination. I love exploring new countries because each place has something unique to offer. I enjoyed visiting Australia, Fiji, China, India, Mexico, Syria, Austria, Norway, the United States, Russia, Croatia, Tunisia, Italy, Britain, Ireland, Libya, France, Belgium, and Luxembourg... I'd better stop showing off and say that Australia is at the top of my list.
Who is your best travelling companion?
Gillian, my wife (though I doubt she feels the same about me, especially since, in the past, I used to worry that we were spending too much on a trip).
Have you ever flown on a low-cost airline?
Not yet.
What do you take back with you from a hotel room? Confess... even if it's a bar of soap.
I leave the bathrobe, the towels, the mat, the duvet and the drinks. Not all politicians come away without taking these things. I do help myself to the rest, like shoe polish and toiletries, but I keep them to myself, unlike certain politicians who take things from hotel rooms and then give them to their canvassers, pretending they bought them as gifts.
The best thing we can give a tourist is...
To welcome them in the same way we welcome guests into our home. In fact, instead of calling them tourists, we should start referring to them as guests. This should not be a mere change of words but a change of mindset and behaviour.
The worst experience a tourist can face is...
Being treated shabbily and leaving the island disappointed, then telling others to stay away, instead of encouraging them to visit Malta.
The most embarrassing thing about Malta is...
The behaviour of some people who are in direct contact with tourists but treat them badly, either through the poor service they give or by overcharging them.
To me, Malta's most beautiful asset is...
The diversity of experiences that enable you to enjoy 7,000 years of history in a short span of time. Then, there's the beautiful weather, lovely walking tours in what remains of the countryside, plenty of attractions in our villages and towns and the people who can be so warm and welcoming.
Is it the quality or the quantity of tourists that matters?
We need both. To have a viable tourism industry - airlines that fly in and out of Malta, cruise liners that sail to our islands, a wide range of hotels, restaurants and bars, historical and entertainment facilities - we need numbers and we need tourists who spend more. Nowadays, people are travelling more often and for shorter breaks, so we need the numbers to make up for those who in the past travelled in groups and for longer stays. But we need to provide today's visitors with better-quality experiences since they are more discerning and more aware environmentally and culturally. Therefore, we need to update and improve the quality of public and private services we offer.