Gozitan businesses experience decline

Nearly half (44 per cent) of respondents to a Gozo Business Chamber survey for May to August claimed to have experienced a drop in business.

The chamber said in a statement that 22 per cent registered an increase and the remaining 34 per cent obtained the same results as last year.

The respondents also said that most of their business was with Gozitans (59 per cent), Maltese visitors (22 per cent) and tourists (19 per cent).

Most respondents (37 per cent) said the Gozo Channel ferry service had been the best factor in helping their business, followed by the weekend activities organised throughout the period under review (31 per cent). The worst culprit for lack of or loss of business was the lack of parking space available in Victoria and the popular beaches.

The lack of parking facilities was accentuated again by 26 per cent of respondents when indicating points that might have had a negative effect on business.

Other remarks ranged from the traffic wardens’ attitude (22 per cent) to traffic congestion (20 per cent), the waiting time to cross from Malta to Gozo (18 per cent), and prices (14 per cent).

Three per cent of respondents are expecting an increase in business in the next three months, 52 per cent are expecting the same amount, and 45 per cent are expecting a drop.

Three per cent said that they expected to employ more people, 76 per cent said that they would keep the same number, and 21 per cent said they would reduce the number of employees.