Malta tourism chief steps down

By Julian Zarb
VALETTA, Malta (eTN) — Just 15 months after taking office, the executive chairman of the Malta Tourism Authority, Romwald Lungaro Mifsud, has announced his intention to resign at the end of August, drawing varied response from various sectors of the local media and the tourism industry in Malta and Gozo.

Since 1999, the figure for arrivals has stabilized at 1.1 million visitors per annum. Over the past fifteen months the islands have been undergoing an intensive rebranding process, which is set to last for at least another two to three years. The process should see a complete change in the traditional marketing focus for the islands from a strictly sun and sea summer destination to one that offers a variety of cultural, sporting and historical as well as social experiences to tourists.

Malta and Gozo have seen an increase in bedstock over the last decade but there has been little increase in the volumes of tourists who visit the Mediterranean islands. The carrying capacity has been set at around 1.2 million visitors, a figure that is considered sustainable and which avoids any catastrophic effect on the infrastructure or the economy.
The branding process means that the new strategy for tourism development must involve all the 400,000 local inhabitants to create a sense of civic awareness and hospitality. The islands have been considered as the ideal Winter sun destination since 1923 and the population have been praised by visitors for the warm welcome they afforded visitors.
The importance of recognizing good service was made clear during the recent STAR awards that have been launched by the Ministry for Tourism and Culture. The problem with market stagnation on the islands can be seen as the result of a broader global share of tourism over the past decade as well as the wrong impression many have of the islands as another summer destination in the Mediterranean.  The bulk of the market segment comes from the European Union countries. 
A number of recent meetings by Hoteliers' Associations and Tourism Organizations have centered their discussions on the issue of low cost airlines to Malta and Gozo.
The government has promised an incentive package to lure these carriers to the island – using the island's only International Airport at Gudja. Many consider this issue to be a priority for solving this impasse successfully.
Mr. Lungaro Mifsud's resignation is being seen as the end of this primary phase of change that is being undertaken in Malta and Gozo to make tourism the real experience it needs to be to create the value added product that makes it unique for the Mediterranean.
But the path is set for some definite changes in the way that many see tourism today; from a marketing strategy that promoted the two islands as a summer destination there are now a number of segments including the MICE, Sports and Culture that will target specific, potential markets. Through niche marketing and cruise line business, it is hoped that Malta and Gozo's image will become clearer to  a great many more people who have had a restricted view of the islands.

July 7, 2006   Posted in: Malta