Hotel occupancy rate drops in October

ray micallef

Dec 22nd 2009, 20:23

i run a small bar and restaurant seating 50 pax in tourist street qawra,this happens to be the main street that cuts trough bugibba and qawra.it is now 8pm and this once very busy street is empty.i am here on my own at my premises at this peak time of the evening 3 days before christmas;
what was till a few years ago the major tourist resort in malta is becoming a ghost town and soon this trend will be irreversible.we are now facing the prospect of another price hike in our utility costs and it is a foregone conclusion that more small businesses like mine will go as soon as more hotels in our area close down .
this is the relity in the tourism industry and instead of nice words and empty promises it would be appreciated if the prime minister and his entourage payed us a visit so they can see for themselves this ghostown

steve elliott,uk

Dec 22nd 2009, 20:06

@ P Portelli. its more like depression not recession. According to my understanding "recession" is when your next door neighbour looses there job and "depression" is when you loose yours.

P Portelli

Dec 22nd 2009, 14:27

Dr Gonzi - Fix-Xoghol...is-Sigurta' ??
Are you still determined to tell me an the other unemployed people of this country that we are not in a recession?
When before the last general and MEP elections you came personally to our home and re-assured us that we were NOT going to have major job losses I'm sure you meant it, since obviously we all now that politicians are there to serve their personal interests and especially to help people who are closest to them in their respective party circles.
How can you still have the cheek to speak about the achievements of this government over the last year? How can you possibly keep saying that we are not in a recession and that everything is plain sailing?
I have been made redundant over 4 months ago cause of the recession in the tourism industry after 10 years of dedicated service to this industry. I know of friends with little kids and a house loan to pay who were made redundant during this month, the month of Christmas! Dr Gonzi step out of your office in Castille together with your little puppets and come and confront us unemployed with decent proposals