A national tourism zone committee came into being yesterday to focus on improving the quality of the product offered to tourists while targeting problems in certain localities.
The committee will work closely with local councils and the four regional tourism committees: north, central, south and historic cities.
Buġibba, Qawra, St Paul’s Bay and Mellieħa are grouped in the north, Paceville, Sliema and St Julian’s in the central committee and Marsascala, Marsaxlokk, Birżebbuġa and Wied iż-Żurrieq in the south. Valletta, Cottonera and Mdina will fall under historic cities.
Tourism Minister Karmenu Vella said the government had fulfilled an electoral promise.
Successful tourism was not only measured in numbers but by the product on offer.
“The zones are defined by where the tourists stay and where they go but it is important to keep in mind that even the Maltese go to these places,” he said.
The zones are defined by where the tourists stay and go
The regional committees will be able to get into the nitty gritty of particular localities, focusing on problems such as lack of cleanliness, maintenance and enforcement. The main issues will be identified with the stakeholders and liaison will then take place with the national committee.
Mr Vella said these committees would complement rather than replace the work of local councils.
The national committee will also coordinate the management of public utilities and works in the zones and see what can be done to improve their attractiveness.
Transport Minister Joe Mizzi, who will be in charge of coordinating the committees, said there were problems in tourism areas where the level of cleanliness was unacceptable, for example.
“It is important for work to be done right the first time so that there is no need to redo everything again.”
The committee will be chaired by Joseph Cassar and co-chaired by George Micallef. Its members are Kevin Fsadni, Roderick Vella, Silvio Scerri, Ramon Deguara, Manuel Bezzina, Mepa CEO Johann Buttiġieġ, Michael Cohen and Police Assistant Commissioner Ray Zammit.