It is a truism that Malta’s tourism industry is one of the mainstays of the economy. The last few years have seen tourism’s contribution growing year by year. Edward Zammit Lewis has been an energetic, competent and effective Minister for Tourism, although for the last 12 months his focus and energies have been directed inevitably at the seemingly intractable issue of saving Air Malta from bankruptcy.
When he took over the reins as minister, like so many others before him he declared that “quality” would be the centrepiece of his plan for Malta’s tourism future. He said “quality standards needed to permeate every aspect of tourism”.
He was of course absolutely right to do so. But how often have we heard successive ministers for tourism say this over the last 50 years only to discover that it is a challenge which appears to elude the reach of any Maltese administration?
Despite the successes achieved in attracting high tourist numbers in recent years, thanks essentially to the arrival of cheap air travel and the widespread unrest throughout North Africa and the Middle East, it will only take the return of Egypt, Libya and Tunisia as popular, safe tourist destinations for the numbers currently attracted to Malta to dwindle.
When those countries emerge from their difficulties, Malta will feel the economic backlash.
All the more reason, therefore, why focusing on improving the quality of the product while we still have a geo-political edge is of paramount importance. But to do so requires not just the minister to set out ambitious and worthy plans. The minister, Malta Tourism Authority, Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association and all the other key stakeholders in the frontline of the tourism industry are only a small part of the effort. They cannot do it alone.
Malta has to move away from mass market tourism and embrace quality tourism if it is to survive in a hugely competitive market. Despite the super yachts berthed in our seas, we have to recognise that we have not yet achieved the lure of top places because we are simply not polished enough to attract their owners. Bluntly, “high net-worth individuals” may buy our passports and berth their yachts in our marinas, but they won’t stay to spend their time and money here.
Malta has all the attributes for good quality tourism. We have a handful of top-class hotels. We have many good, if sometimes over-priced, restaurants. The cultural heritage is outstanding. The climate is superb. The country is relatively safe and secure.
The quality of Malta’s tourism product has been sabotaged by the awfulness of our infrastructure and environment
But the fundamental issue is that Malta must improve its facilities and infrastructure and it has to provide a much better service.
To achieve long-term success, virtually every major department of government – tourism, home affairs, the police, the local councils, the planning authority, environment, rural affairs, transport and infrastructure, culture and sustainable development, the Gozo ministry – all have a crucial role to play.
The problem is that committed inter-departmental coordination does not happen. Government departments tend to act like warring tribes only concerned about guarding their own patch, but forgetting that tourism in Malta is actually everybody’s patch.
Any attempt to raise the quality of tourism should focus on five fundamental issues: the environment and infrastructure; the appearance and cleanliness of the island; the facilities available and the quality of service they offer; the cultural heritage; and enforcement of standards. None of these is wholly within the control of the Minister for Tourism, but quality tourism suffers if they are not first rate.
Starting with Malta’s environment in its broadest sense of the countryside, built heritage and the coastline, there are parts of this country – Paceville, Qawra, Buġibba and parts of St Paul’s Bay to name but four – which are an embarrassment. They can only be redeemed by a comprehensive programme of regeneration and the demolition of the scruffy, badly built, ugly structures of the 1970s and 1980s. Attempts at so-called ‘embellishment’ have failed – no sooner done than these areas look tatty again.
Paceville is a copybook case study. Some of our best hotels and prestigious residential apartments are undermined by Paceville’s presence on their doorstep. There is a danger of its contagion extending beyond its boundaries and contaminating everything around it.
Spinola Bay is one of the prettiest tourist areas in Malta. Spinola is most decidedly not Paceville, though it lies close to it. But it appears that Paceville, with its tatty bars, loud music and rowdy revellers is in danger of encroaching on Spinola Bay. There have been reports of people staying at the Hilton Hotel being reluctant to go out to restaurants at Spinola Bay after 10pm because they are put off by rowdyism. Spinola Bay’s well-deserved reputation as a quality restaurant destination is under threat.
Malta’s countryside continues to be threatened by over exploitation. The built environment is under threat from ugly design. Malta has a well-earned reputation as a shabby permanent building site. Go to Spinola Bay today and you will be confronted by at least six cranes within a half kilometre radius of this prime tourism destination.
The road network and traffic congestion, the overcrowded, dirty public beaches in a limited coastline that has been scarred by illegal boathouses, the incidents of blue seas polluted by fish farm sludge, the constant intrusive noise, the pollution, all these factors spell not quality but squalor.
The heritage landscape is undermined by the extent of the encroaching built-up area, tall buildings and urban fringes that obstruct views of historic centres. Poor standards of design and workmanship and lack of maintenance are evident everywhere.
I shall return to litter next week as it provides one of the greatest blots on our claims to quality tourism.
Malta’s cultural heritage should be at the heart of the quality tourism product. The fact that there are so many outstanding historic sites within easy striking distance for the visitor is what distinguishes this little island from so many other destinations.
Yet, notwithstanding the huge strides which have been made in the last four years through EU funding – such as the outstanding Fort St Elmo, Fort St Angelo and fortifications restorations – successive governments have failed to invest sufficiently in this area.
Last, the lack of law enforcement in tourism is endemic. Visit any popular tourism destination from St Paul’s Bay to Comino to Spinola Bay, Sliema Ferries and Marsaxlokk and the law is being flouted. Restaurant and bar owners everywhere where tourists gather commandeer the promenade and place tables and chairs illegally without any control being exercised.
There is a vital need for coordinated and concerted action by the tourism authority, police and local councils to apply the law.
The quality of Malta’s tourism product has been sabotaged by the awfulness of our infrastructure and environment. While we can, for the moment, continue to ride on the back of the geopolitical misfortunes which have struck North Africa and the Middle East, there will come a point soon at which the real lack of quality of our product will be cruelly exposed.
The paucity of repeat visitors from our traditional sources in Britain and Germany (perhaps briefly compensated for by an apparent increase in Chinese, Japanese and Poles) may already be sending that message.