More than two full months have passed since the publication of the so-called National Tourism Plan 2007-2011. The plan incorporated no fewer than 275 proposals, complete with set datelines – all of them drawn up following extensive consultations between all the ministries, the cabinet and the inter-ministerial committee on tourism.

The plan was launched by Tourism and Culture Minister Francis Zammit Dimech on 7 December.

According to press reports on the following morning, the government wanted to conduct a quick consultation process by 21 December, with a view to implementing it “as early as 1 January of this year”.

Price competitiveness and curbing overcharging were reported to be among the priorities for the tourism industry.

Missing guidelines

Guidelines on average prices for items normally purchased by tourists were to be published and the government was to work out with tourism associations on an awareness campaign, in order to show the negative effect that overpricing has on tourism.

Those charging tourists over the displayed prices were to be fined, and talks were to start with a view to setting up a police reserve force for tourism zones.

The land transport infrastructure and the public transport service were to be improved. The provision of a shuttle service from the airport to local hotels was to be “considered”.

The plan also promised to clamp down on practices that harm tourism – like littering, illegal hunting, vandalism and lack of maintenance.

An analysis of the existing cleaning systems in tourism areas was to be promptly carried out in order to identify a more cost-effective and efficient system, with the possible “contribution” of the private sector.

Dust and noise control

The government undertook to assess the scheduling of projects, particularly those of an infrastructural nature. Regulations were to be published in tourism zones to control dust and noise emanating from construction sites. In particular, regulations were to call for the placing of boarding around such sites.

The government proposed to work closely with the police, language schools and host families to reduce the impact of high-density student population during the peak season.

It was also proposed to issue regulations authorising the confiscation of skips that were not properly maintained.

Access between Malta and Gozo was to be facilitated.

This amounted to a tall order. There has been no outward sign of earnest effort to achieve forward movement. If at all, the plan has been blatantly honoured only in the breach.

Inertia

One would have thought that, after the long period of turbulence that led the industry to lose its buoyancy, and the imminence of local elections, the government would have put its best foot forward to achieve early tangible results.

Alas, inertia has taken over, and the so-called plan is proving to be another political bubble.

Most of the “proposals” advanced in the plan called for initiatives and interventions from the government, rather than the Malta Tourism Authority.

Depressing though it is, the evidence of the past two months confirms that the government’s propensity to “talk” far outweighs its ability to “act” with speed and effect. It is long on big talk and short in delivery!

Inertia and dereliction are the offspring of incompetence. For that, we have to pay a price. And it is the tourism sector and its workforce, as well as the Maltese economy, that have to foot the bill!

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