As a professional working in the tourism industry, most of my marketing is aimed at overseas clients. Each year my company participates in shows all over Europe, the main one being the London Dive Show held every year in March.

Our stand is booked and paid for up to nine months earlier. This year it is being held on March 8 and 9, the same weekend as the general election.

My colleague and I, as well as other Maltese and Gozitan citizens who will be there promoting Malta, are having to relinquish our democratic right to vote.

The option to vote before the election date is only open to the few who are employed in the electoral counting process.

The promotion to bring Maltese to Malta to vote does not help us in any way as we have to stay in London to man our expensive stands.

There are several initiatives underway to modernise our society. An important one is our voting system. This should provide people with the right to vote on an alternative day or location, bringing us in line with other EU countries.

On March 8 I will be all smiles promoting Malta as the ideal destination when ironically it is the country that is begrudging me my democratic right to vote.