Tourist zones to have managers

Valletta, Paceville and Marsalforn have been selected to form part of a pilot project that revolves around the tourism management of the towns' centres.

Residents, businesses, local councils and other stakeholders will pool in their efforts and work together to ensure that the locality is managed efficiently and resources are maximised.

The Parliamentary Secretary for Tourism, Mario de Marco, said that as from tomorrow, the process of identifying these stakeholders would start. Once selected the stakeholders will attend workshops to help them better understand how tourism zone management works.

A zone manager for each of the three localities would also be selected.

This process is expected to take about eight months after which the actual implementation will start with consultation from the Association of Town Centre Management in London.

"Tourism management will not tread on the toes of already existing organisations. On the contrary, the project is there to add value by identifying and filling the gaps. It's about enhancing and making the town centre more attractive to live and trade in and make the area more competitive," explained Simon Qiun from the London association.

Dr de Marco explained how, in the case of Valletta for example, the stakeholders included residents, shop-owners, shoppers, tourists, restaurant and cafe-owners and museums to name a few. Usually these entities took decisions in their own interest. However through the setting up of the management team, the stakeholders would get together in the interest of the locality. This did not effect the responsibility's of the local councils, he stressed.

The pilot project is an initiative of the parliamentary secretariats of tourism and public dialogue with the collaboration of the local councils, the Malta Hotels and Restaurants' Association and the Chamber of Small and Medium Enterprises - GRTU.