Cultural funds for councils aimed at creating new tourist attractions
The Birgu by Night festival is attended by thousands of people.
The governemnt has allocated €250,000 to local councils to help them organise quality events which would serve as tourist attractions during the shoulder months.
The Parliamentary Secretary for Tourism, Mario de Marco, said that almost 60 per cent of tourists visited Malta between October and June. Some 30 per cent of tourists were repeat visitors.
Malta, therefore, needed to continue to provide new attractions, including events organised by the local councils which would promote the unique characteristics and history of the various localities. Such cultural events, he told a press conference, would also encourage tourists to explore localities which were off the tourism zones.
Dr de Marco and Parliamentary Secretary Chris Said, who is responsible for local governemnt, said the funds were being granted after an evaluation of the proposed events in order to ensure that they were of a satisfactory standard.
Josef Formosa Gauci, CEO of the Malta Tourism Authority, urged the councils to fix the dates for their events as early as possible so that they could be promoted abroad by the MTA.
This is the second year that funds are being allocated by the central government for the councils to organise cultural events. 48 councils benefited from such funds last year.
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d.attard
Aug 3rd 2010, 00:09
These activities are one offs, often of dubious quality, intrusive on residentsand hostile to most visitors not accustomed to our clastrphobic-Mnarja-rush-culture.
I suggest that the monies should be used to animate our historic centers throughout the year, improving the experience of both resident and visitor, avoiding mad rushes and creating long term employment based on genuine cultural expression.
Vince DeBono
Aug 2nd 2010, 19:24
GOOD. I've been saying these past 15 years that MTA should only support activities in the quiet period. Next step is to set dates AND get participants to do original activities - I would hate to see 20 Birgufests scattered around the islands with the only difference being the name of the locality. MTA should co-ordinate these activities to ensure a unique flavour for the events.
m.zammit
Aug 2nd 2010, 19:23
il-fondi tal-kultura għal kunsilli lokali ghandhom imorru għal attivitajiet li ghandhom x'jaqsmu mar-rahal jew villagg. Per ezempju il-Hamrun inghataw fondi sabiex isir festival tac-cikkulata. safejn huwa marghuf fil-hamrun hlief xi dolcerija ma kien hawn ebda attivita kbira tac-cikkulata. Tajjeb li wiehed jghidilna x'kienet din l-attivita tac-cikkulata ghajr ghal xi forsi maahzen u jikkwota fejn sab din l-informazzjoni. Staqsejt kont lil tlett minn nies li jafu hafna fuq il-Hamrun u ma jafu b'ebda dokument storiku dwar din l-attivita. Wiehed qalli li kien hawn mahzen fejn kienu jerfaw xi ingridjenti. B'dan l-argument kulhadd jista jaqbad u jivvinta attivita. Tajjeb li qabel ma jinghataw dawn il-fondi jaraw li dak li jkun qieghed jinghad huwa minnu.
L. Cutajar
Aug 2nd 2010, 18:38
'Cultural funds for councils aimed at creating new tourist attractions'. OR should it be 'Cultural funds for councils aimed at creating inconvenience to residents'.
JOe VELLa
Aug 2nd 2010, 17:59
This is exactly what the country needs!
I have not seen the councils that will benefit from these 'Cultural funds', am I to assume the usual same councils will be receiving these funds in Malta and Gozo? irrespective of the population in these councils, yet other councils like that of Zebbug, Malta and others are left empty handed.
Well! at least in Zebbug we have FREE disco music till 4 a.m. further comment will be futile!