Areas frequented by tourists are not keeping up with the volume of visitors and this is leading to a shoddy product being put on offer, the GRTU’s deputy president responsible for tourism Philip Fenech told the Times of Malta.

Many areas are becoming dilapidated, as they are unable to cope with the general wear and tear brought about by the increase in tourist numbers, Mr Fenech said.

This element of deterioration could lead to serious problems if not tackled, he warned.

Management of tourist zones is done in a piecemeal fashion with no overarching authority responsible for their upkeep. This had led to a “hotchpotch” solution where no one took actual responsibility, Mr Fenech said.

Admitting that an increase in tourist numbers was a nice problem to have, he called on the government to take the opportunity during the low season to put the necessary structures in place for the proper maintenance of tourist areas. He lamented that embellishment projects were often not followed up with the necessary maintenance.

“Mdina has recently been done up, but it is already in need of a few tweaks here and there to keep it up to standard. Infrastructural maintenance in general is lacking in Malta, it is very much done by crisis. It is not clear which department does the job. Often ministries and local councils end up overlapping,” Mr Fenech said.

The management of the country’s tourist areas had clearly not kept up with demand, he added.

Mr Fenech insisted that volumes in areas like the Blue Lagoon and certain historical sites needed to be managed better. “Places like these all need to be looked at as part of a strategy of better managing the tourism product.”

He identified the growth of many different tourism niches and products as both a strength and a potential weakness.

While a diversified tourism product offers Malta more security, having too many segments in the same area can be damaging.

“Look at Paceville, for example. One particular entrepreneur has diversified from nightclubs to catering and hotels. You could end up in a situation where the spillover and noise from those same nightclubs could have a negative impact on tourists staying in the hotels,” Mr Fenech said.

He also noted that more tourists were visiting rural areas, and sees this as a good sign.

“It is not just about sun and sea tourists. Another type of tourist wants to see communal Malta and to mix with the locals.

All this needs to be managed, in order to ensure the long-term sustainability of Malta’s tourism product,” Mr Fenech said.