Recently, we got to know that the Malta Tourism Authority will once again sponsor the English championship side Sheffield United, to the tune of a few hundred thousand euros.

I will not enter into a debate on the marketing value of such an exercise, as it seems nobody can, or wants, to supply the figures on the touristic and financial returns of this deal. Being actively involved in sports, I fondly remember the days when the government unveiled plans to promote sports tourism. A few years down the line, we now realise that this meant promoting sports in other countries rather than ours. Local sport associations and clubs have, for years, been begging, yes begging, the government for more support.

The Nationalist and Labour parties' election manifestos gave us hope and, in all honesty, a few of the promises were kept in the last budget. The Malta Sports Council seems to have a new lease of life too. However, the actions of the MTA leave many of the people who have local sports at heart perplexed.

Hopefully, the recent training camp in Malta by Sheffield United will leave some money in the coffers of the local economy. Although, from the information gathered through the local media, it appears we have to thank the Malta Football Association for this. There is a huge potential for sports tourism in our islands but I doubt the path taken by the MTA is the best strategy. After all, local sport needs to be promoted not only for economic reasons but also from the social and health perspective.