The announcement by the Prime Minister that Gozo will henceforth be considered as a tourism zone and that, therefore, shops can remain open for longer hours has once again drawn attention to the state of tourism in Gozo. Many have argued that the government is again not seeing the wood for the trees when it defines its priorities for tourism in Gozo.
There is no doubt that longer opening hours for shops in Gozo is a welcome move, as is the setting up of an office for Meusac to help Gozitan entities benefit from EU funds. But if Gozitan tourism is to bounce back, more thorough action is needed by both the government and private entrepreneurs that operate in this sector.
The government's vision of Gozo as an ecological island can only become a reality when concrete steps are taken to enhance the natural beauty of this place.
Continuous property development, sometimes even in areas of outstanding ecological importance, militates against the image of Gozo as an ecological island. Gozo needs to remain unique and very different from Malta if it is to attract the right kind of tourism that can bring about economic success.
The Times of London recently commented that many "malign Malta for being an ugly Mediterranean island". If Gozo wants to avoid this nasty label it needs to project itself differently. A thorough clean-up of the island could be a good starting point, followed by stricter restrictions on property development and noise pollution.
Gozitan entrepreneurs also need to do their part. Prices in Gozo are generally higher than they are in Malta, even if there are some notable exceptions that show that a holiday in Gozo need not be an expensive experience. Business people should consider initial low-profit margins for their services as a long-term investment in the future of an industry that, if cultivated well, will bear fruit for many years.
The care of the environment should also extend to proper maintenance of the Gozitan historical heritage. While the numerous churches in Gozo are impeccably maintained, not the same can be said for the publicly-owned historical sites. The Citadel, for instance, is still in a bad state of repair, despite a seemingly never-ending maintenance programme.
Basic tourism-related facilities also need to be upgraded. Public transport, tourist offices, public conveniences and the regular cleaning of beaches and country lanes all need immediate attention. There was a time when the road network in Gozo earned the admiration of many Maltese drivers but the state of the roads there today is almost as bad as it is in Malta.
Non-Maltese tourists sometimes label living in Gozo, even for just a few days, as "boring". More needs to be done to exploit the natural beauty of Gozo and its historical heritage by holding more cultural activities. It is a shame that the Gozo Experience enterprise has closed down because of insufficient interest from visitors. The secret of success of such ventures is to refresh their product often in order to keep the interest of visitors alive.
Promoting tourism in Gozo will always be a tough challenge. Ironically, mass local tourism dents the image of Gozo as a quiet ecological island. Foreign tourists who are prepared to pay a premium for travelling to an ecological island rightly expect to find premium quality services. That is why an effort to optimise the potential of tourism in Gozo must go beyond extending shopping hours.