It never ceases to amaze me how, on this island, at the first signs of any downturn in the economic growth, we also turn down the quality of our service and product!

The recent statement by the Finance Minister that there will be an increase in the surcharge on electricity (which, as we all know, is due to the international situation brought about by a strong demand for this vital fossil fuel) brought some mixed, albeit, negative reactions to this decision.

It is understandable that we are all feeling the heat this summer and we are equally conscious about how we need to economise on our energy use – but this also has its good side, believe it or not, because it does create a strong sense of awareness about our normal consumption patterns.

In this last month I have walked in... and out.... of a number of commercial establishments and catering outlets simply because they have decided not to operate their airconditioning units. This false sense of economy is not the answer to any effective energy management plan and neither is it advisable to simply increase prices for consumers just to cover the extra costs...

we need to learn that these short-sighted and short-term measures only bring long term problems in the end. The solution lies in adopting a “work smarter” attitude by:

 Choosing new equipment carefully to ensure that it does not consume unnecessary power and that it is adequate for the use to which it is intended;

 Designing premises to gain maximum benefit from natural light sources as well as minimising heat and cool from airconditioning;

 Setting temperature and lighting levels to reduce unnecessary energy loss.

These are three simple actions that should be adopted by any commercial entity as part of its efficient and effective management strategy.

Reducing quality and service whenever a cost increase looms high on the horizon is simply not an alternative to this proactive policy.

These islands face a tough time because of competition from international tourism trends and commercial activity and we need to really adopt a value-for-money policy, this includes innovation, authenticity, a comfortable and pleasant environment and a professional attitude to hospitality and service. Until we learn to adopt these qualities,

then I can only predict that Malta and Gozo will remain a second or third choice for many visitors without much possibility of luring them back for a repeat visit!

This would certainly be a pity, Malta and Gozo have a lot to offer the visitor and we have only just started to discover the other sites and attractions that make up the alternative product for tourists and the living history experiences. By cutting down on services whenever the economic heat is turned on shows a very myopic view of entrepreneurship.

JULIAN ZARB

Iklin