AD urges industry to tap into eco-tourism
Alternattiva Demokratika has called on the tourism industry to develop niches through eco and agro-tourism, particularly in Gozo.
The call, which comes in the wake of gloomy industry forecasts for 2009, follows a meeting between top AD officials and the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association.
The MHRA, on its part, stressed the need for measures to attract visitors in response to the global financial crisis, such as by increasing inbound plane seat capacity and having a strong, one off publicity campaign abroad.
The MHRA also called for an improvement in the island's road and service maintenance, stressing that, "product Malta cannot be left in a state of abandonment".
It estimated that some €8 million would be needed to keep maintenance at the levels necessary for the tourist industry to thrive, pointing out that a failure to invest this sort of money now could put in jeopardy between €64 to €91 million in lost revenue - calculated on the estimated loss of around 10 per cent in tourism this year.
On the controversial plans to replace the current Għadira bypass with one that cuts through the back of a nature reserve and fields MHRA and AD agreed that they would wait for scientific studies before proceeding with in-depth discussion.
3 Comments
Post comment
Please sign in or create your Account to post comments.
a attard
Feb 10th 2009, 13:16
Goverment with oppositions should come to an agreement to preserve once and for all the little left country side left on the Islands. Within these little left areas we shold build paths remove shabby construction embark on a more aggressive afforastation project where ever possible, have more information around about the rich natural history of the Maltese Islands. Recently I have been walking in the newly proposed park at Xara il hamra behind Golden bay and it is stunningly beautiful a contrast of garigue cliffs and worked fields. Are these places advertised enough? Is there enough information about the flora and fauna of these areas? Hopefully these nature parks and many other areas with high landscape and natural value and great potential will be evolved to the status they deserve as natural gems on our islands that ALL Maltese should be proud of.
James A. Tyrrell
Feb 9th 2009, 20:35
I couldn't agree with you more Robert Callus. I found Gozo years ago and have been coming back every year since. But every year something happens to make me wonder if it's worth coming back to. The ongoing plans to build a marina at Hondoq are one example of something, which would make me look elsewhere. But we also have to consider the stupid plans for villas and swimming pools overlooking Ramla, that eyesore of a thing at the Inland Sea and the almost continuous calls for a fixed wing airfield on the island. They say that all these things are being done for the good of tourists like me but it seems at least as far as I'm concerned that the ones in charge have no idea what tourists want. If they carry out these stupid plans I will certainly be looking for another paradise to take my holidays in and possibly retire to.
Robert Callus
Feb 9th 2009, 17:52
It is a shame that our country, that depends mostly on tourism doesn't care about these things. Eco-tourism is attempted in places such as the UK when they don't have as much to show like we Maltese, especially in Gozo. I mention Gozo since it is nore 'vigin' from development than Malta. Apart from environmental benefits of keeping Gozo as an ecological haven, there is a lot of money to be gained for our country. A niche for tourism for people who come to these islands for its natural beauty. I've met tourists that come to Gozo each year, they love it, but are already complaining that it's started to being ruined. Possibly they will find Capri as a better alternative in time. Hope we wake up before it's too late