'Basic fundamentals' of tourism being ignored - MHRA president

carmel callus

Jul 20th 2009, 22:27

One wonders to which noise pollution is Mr Decesare referring to!

Stephen Borg Cardona

Jul 20th 2009, 22:26

I think that ultimately all Malta should be kept clean as the tourists do not restrict themselves to the seaside resorts and anyway does anyone like living in a pig sty ? Birkirkara Local council please take note ! The area around St Helen`s Basilica is disgustingly dirty all the time.

A Calleja

Jul 20th 2009, 22:25

Mr Decesare is right that much more needs to be done on cleanliness and noise pollution but his call for the reduction of VAT on restaurant services is just a thinly veiled attempt to increase the profit margins. Restauranteurs will be able to disguise yet another price hike by charging their customers the same and pocket a bigger profit. The same happened when the price of imported wines dropped after the market was liberalised; the sharp drop in take home prices of wine was not truly reflected in their wine menus. The end result is that dining in a good restaurant in London or Rome is often cheaper than than in an equivalent restaurant in Malta. In the process MHRA is unwittingly killing the goose that lays the golden eggs. Mr Decesare should be bold enough to promise, and later prove, that the cut in VAT will be passed on to the consumer, otherwise the taxpayer will be subsidising restaurants. And we are already subsidising too many other public services, thank you.

Lawrence Calleja

Jul 20th 2009, 20:18

Are the MHRA joking? It is them and the hotels, bars and night clubs they represent that is causing this noise pollution and dirt in public streets. All they think about is how to make more money. As an association they should issue a code of practice and ethics between themselves to avoid the unnecessary competition that exists.

L.Muscat

Jul 20th 2009, 19:43

Look whose complaining of noise pollution when mostly,it's Hotels and the bars that are the culprits. It's they that organizes barbeques and open air discos. And what about the rubbish that accumulates at the back of their hotels.

John Azzopardi

Jul 20th 2009, 19:05

Very true that cleanliness and noise pollution are major issues. But what rubs me the wrong way is that people view them as problems for tourism. As if to say that we, the Maltese residents who live here every day, day in day out, do not have the right to have clean and noise-free environment. I think this is where the problem lies. All positive things that we expect to have for a decent living and which are sine qua non in developed countries of the EU, here are viewed from the tourism objective. This si wrong. We should aim to have decent living standards always, so that tourist can also benefit. But first and foremost the focus must be on the people living here. They too deserve high living standards.

Joseph E Briffa

Jul 20th 2009, 18:37

Re the lowering of VAt in restaurants: let's say the average meal in an osteria costs Eur20 without VAT,; 18% on that is Eur3.60, 5% is Eur1. The difference is a mere Eur2.60. Would this attract more patrons? i would say NO. But if some wise guys say it will increase business, then by the same token a corkage charge in the same amount (Eur2.60) would put people off. Imagine the effect of a corkage charge of double that (Eur5) which is the one adopted in nearly all the Osterie!. Why don't Messrs Decesare and Muscat think abit before babbling away? As for the dirt, this has been around us for centuries. The Maltese do not care about the environment: their sense of cleanliness does not go beyond their front door or their backyard. Esprit de corps is not in the vocabulary of the people of the Med, vide Sicily, Southern Greece, the North African littoral and see for yourself. There is no discipline. Heavy fines is the answer. But then neither party likes it as it loses popularity and that means votes and success in elections.
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Norbert Spiteri Agius

Jul 20th 2009, 18:09

Agree with most of you here - I think Government already spent quite a lot on tourism product, I believe MTA budget was substantially increased this year. So, instead of talking and talking, Mr De Cesare would do better and encourage his fellow hoteliers and do something themselves. This mentality of always expecting Government (and hence, people's taxes) to "do something" is sickening.

Personally, I dont think that VAT in restaurants should be decreased from 18 to 5 per cent. If they really (restaurenters) believe that such 13% is making so much of a difference they should make the first step themselves, I m quite sure most restaurants can afford to reduce price by that amount.

Take wine for instances. Prices have not gone down (or decreases have been very, very limited) despite government having removed very high duties/levies on foreign wine, sometimes up to 30%.

martin frendo

Jul 20th 2009, 18:05

cheek in tongue to talk about noise pollution . just look at the monsters created in paceville to start off with. where are the green spaces and the sound proof walls? come on give us a break mssers one track minded businesses.. of course we need to develop and enhance tourism at all considered costs. but let us not spit on the plate that feeds us..to have repeat and consistant traffic we have to keep on offering value for money and that added value service. unfortunately this is lacking and no Vat refunds and tax reductions will do the trick.. we should have enough experience now to know what it takes to offer that added bonus to tourist and clients . yes there are instances where prices have to be reviewed and adjusted to market climates . as the market is becoming ever more price sensitive . but we are also seeing neighbouring countries coming out with better services with the same price structures. can we keep our act clean and valid?

rob webb

Jul 20th 2009, 18:01

It is the greed of the hotel developers that has fuelled the distruction of Sliema. Their OPC are hounding the tourists off the streets and away from Malta. Spain has banned them !!!

Pride in ones country comes first!!! Not the profit in your pocket

C Farrugia

Jul 20th 2009, 17:43

Talking about cleanliness, Mr Decesare should visit Sliema Strand particularly near the end of the day to find out that the main culprits of the dirt and mounds of rubbish you can find are produced by the tourism operators themselves. At time there are mounds of rubbish two feet high on the pavements where tourists walk. I reteriate the main culprits here are the tourism operators themselves who are all the time grumbling about the dirt which they themselves produce, whilst all the time expecting the Local Council to clear for them.

Peter Bonnici

Jul 20th 2009, 17:41

Past experience has shown that Maltese restauranteurs are not the type of guys who will pass on the saving. Take a look at the wine lists and anyone fool will realise that whilst wine prices have fallen drastically at supermarkets in the past 5 years, they have remained high and gradually climbing at our local restaurants. How can Mr Decesare guarantee that MHRA members will pass on the tax saving? And how can he guarantee that they will put right, all the wrongs of the past 5 years? He cannot. So the proposition is either undoable, or is simply money in their pockets. Nothing for their loyal local customer or the tourist.

James Green

Jul 20th 2009, 17:41

Yes sure, and a reduced VAT for restaurants will be passed on to customers, exactly the same as wine did when it became available at MUCH lower prices in supermarkets.
Any marines around here willing to listen to a tale?

C J Farrugia

Jul 20th 2009, 17:39

Mr Decesare has forgotten that restaurants on the whole, failed and are continuing to fail to pass on the reduction in the cost of foreign wine on the consumers. The reduction since Malta's entry into the EU was more than significant. Since they did not pass on that reduction what guarantees are there that, they will pass on the reduction in VAT. One other thing, why restaurants and not other goods, such as clothes etc.....? I am sure that all retailers would love to have a reduction in VAT on whatever they sell to increase sales.

ms g hoare

Jul 20th 2009, 16:40

Matthew Bezzina and ALL i dont think i have more to say you hit the nail on the head

KEVIN DECESARE,,,, WHY DONT YOU START WITH YOUR OWN SURROUNDS AFTER ALL IT'S ALL YOUR CLIENTS THAT MAKE MOST OF THE MESS MAYBE WE ASK TO SHUT ALL THE AREA SO NO PEOPLE GO AROUND SO THEN IT WILL STAY CLEAN .
I SUPPOSE HE WANTS THE THIS GOVERMENT TO START WITH CLEANING HIS AREA FIRST YOU ARE NOT THE ONLY TOURIST AREA , YOU THINK YOU HAVE GODS RIGHTS.
K D ,,,, reiterated the association's call for lower VAT rates on restaurant services in order to improve competitiveness and employment levels, and said a study was being made on the consequences of such a reduction. GREED GREED There is more things to start with in this country LIKE wages as most workers in Malta has the lowest wages in EU

Matthew Bezzina

Jul 20th 2009, 16:16

Whilst acknowledging that little is being done by the relevant authorities to fix the litter issue, Mr DeCesare should have a good look at the backside of his 5 star hotel. The place has become a public convenience, and the undeveloped premises in the same 5 star hotel is subject to vandalism, alcoholics, rubbish dumping and again the most favoured place where one can relieve himself/herself after a night out. All this because the 'management' of this so called 5 star hotel failed to close the entrance to these unused premises. This not to mention the trees that haven't been pruned since the hotel opened its doors.
If every tourist establishment had to maintain its outside area things would be much better but unfortunately it’s not the case as they are afraid that the minuscule extra cleaning costs would hurt their pockets.

Andrew Gatt

Jul 20th 2009, 16:13

No doubt that any country's tourism product is judged by certain criteria, and polluton, cleanliness and the state of a country's infrastructure are all fundamental.

May I also add value for money and service with a smile - 2 areas which the operator, and not Government, should address urgently.

Joe Tabone-Adami

Jul 20th 2009, 16:09

"Cleanliness and noise pollution" indeed. Probably Mr Decesare and Co. have not yet heard or read about the rubbish and rowdiness caused by discos, restaurants, open-air bars etc. etc. that so many of our residents have been complaining about for so long now! Isn't it time to lend his ears to them and spread the word among his colleagues?

N.Calleja

Jul 20th 2009, 15:50

As usual Mr.Decesare found it very easy to blame others for some negligencies but did not look at the mirror to find out the negligencies of hoteliers around Malta and Gozo. And he also forgot to assure the PL Leader that any reduction on VAT will be strictly handed over to the consumers