The word sustainability has taken on different interpretations over the past 20 years. The first mention of sustainability was made in 1987 through the Brundtland report and since then it has caused clear rifts between politicians, businesses and the community.

Authors such as Elizabeth Becker interpret tourism today not simply as a soulless and abstract industry based on quantitative data but one that should explain the real definition of hospitality and service.

I believe that the only way we can really have a sustainable tourism policy work is if we breathe life into it. The way to do that is not by implementing an autocratic style of management but by developing an inclusive sense of ownership among the community. Luigi Cabrini, an expert at the UNWTO, was quoted as saying that “we need models of good practice”.

Taking the case of Malta and Gozo, it is evident that we have built up a very lucrative industry over the last 30 years but have failed to ensure the endorsement and ownership of this activity by the community itself.

The government and the authorities boast of growing tourism arrivals but do we really know if it is having a positive or negative effect on our society, culture and environment?

Sustainable tourism has become a buzzword that gives this activity a more human aspect, but is it really effective as a destination? Go to some localities in Malta and Gozo and you will find a sense of apprehension for any form of tourism activity – places such as Sliema and Mdina come to mind here.

There have been other localities abroad where the tourism industry is creating very negative reactions from the local community – Venice, Calvia and Vanuatu. But until we realise that this activity is not a shortcut to a very lucrative cash cow, we will be sadly misguided by the personal whims of the politician and the businessman.

The distinction between sustainable and mass tourism depends on the scope of the planning process – this is whether it is seen as a short-term vs the medium- to long-term approach.

Planning processes are not quick fixes to address crisis management issues. They need to address all those who, in one way or another, could be affected by the proposals.

There are a number of primary issues that will need to be addressed before we can ever expect to implement a sustainable tourism plan.

Over the past 10 years there has been a change in the tourism sector in terms of the workforce and employment prospects. There was a time when the hospitality and catering sector was seen as a possible career path with the prospect of “climbing the ladder” to the top.

Today, what was once seen as a career has become a rather mundane job, dependent on a pair of hands rather than a committed team member.

We have turned our human resources into objects rather than assets. Entrepreneurs are content with the mediocre and lower standards of service and consider the costs more than the benefits of investing in people.  We need to get serious about training cross-border employees.  Before we employ foreign staff in hotels and restaurants we need to ensure they are trained in basic service skills and local culture.

Tourism planning should not be the sole function of politicians and business people. We need to start involving the local community as they are the real reason why visitors decide to travel from their home. Allowing as many stakeholders, including the local community, to be directly involved in the development and implementation of a local tourism plan will not only create a sense of ownership but may even inculcate a sense of civic pride and awareness.

Perhaps we will begin to see more responsibility across these islands and less mediocrity and carelessness on our civic affairs.

It is pointless writing volumes of legal documents to satisfy society that ‘action will be taken’ and then fail to enforce these regulations because it may have repercussions of a personal nature.

There needs to be that sense of responsibility by the host and visitor community. Regulations should be enforced at all times and there is no place for favoritism and backhanders in tourism. It belongs to everyone, not just a few.

One clear example of where we can show how enforcement is put into practice is through the responsible use of all 400,000 vehicles that are let loose on our roads.

The careless parking, the erratic driving and behaviour and, something I never cease to be amazed with, the ludicrous antics after sporting events and elections. The dangerous driving standards and behaviour on the roads is intimidating to locals let alone to the visitor.

It would be interesting to read what the Highway Code says about this kind of behaviour.

Over the past four years, the Malta Tourism Society together with the Institute for Travel, Tourism and Culture at the University of Malta, have been researching methods for involving all stakeholders in the process and implementation of tourism planning.

The research group is studying the idea of community-based tours, opportunities for visitors to understand thelocal character and culture by interacting with members of the community and learning about local history through the social dimension.

But community-based tours are also about ownership, it is about the diversification of the visitor experience by offering an alternative socio-cultural experience that can benefit a broader stakeholder base. Community-based tours are about community involvement and participation, about being the participant and not the observed.

A number of pilot projects have already been developed in Mqabba, Safi and Kirkop and, later this year, three other localities will join in – Lija, Attard and Balzan. We call these opportunities “meeting the faces and not just seeing the places”.

To make sustainable tourism really work, we need to work together. This should not be about short-term planning that suits the politician and the businessman but it means planning over the medium- to long-term period while ensuring consistency in the consultancy process that creates a more proactive and inclusive socio cultural activity.

Julian Zarb is honorary president of the Malta Tourism Society.