An airstrip in Gozo was essential to reducing the island’s double insularity and opening its businesses to new opportunities, the Gozo Regional Committee said yesterday.

Gozo lacked connectivity which, in turn, hindered its competitiveness, the committee said, pointing out that the development of an airstrip had been discussed several times over the past 20 years but no action had been ever taken.

The committee falls within the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development and brings together a number of voluntary organisations and associations with direct links to Gozo.

If an airstrip were built, Gozo could be marketed independently as a destination while also attracting niche tourism, the committee said. The island would be connected to Malta International Airport and this would reduce the problems of accessibility in bad weather.

An airplane service was cheaper to run than a helicopter service and actually had less of an impact on air and noise pollution, according to the committee. Also, more jobs would be created in Gozo, reducing the brain drain in the form of young people moving to Malta to look for jobs.

Last May, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi had presented a feasibility report in Parliament drawn up by the Civil Aviation Department. The 2009 report said that for safe operation a non-instrument runway strip 500 metres long and 18 metres wide would be the best option.

The Gozo Regional Committee is all in favour but pointed out that finding the airstrip’s location was the government’s responsibility.

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