The Malta Tourism Authority is financing a review on the English Language Travel Sector in Malta in collaboration with the Federation for English Language Teaching Organisations in Malta (Feltom). The review will seek to make recommendations to strengthen the sector and address the challenges ahead.
Feltom is conducting this comprehensive national review of the ELT sector to examine where it stands today and the positioning needed in the future. After 30 years this industry has established itself as one of the niche segments of the tourism sector and it must therefore strive to reinvent itself in order to continue building on its success.
According to official figures, the ELT industry is contributing to around 3.9% of total tourist arrivals, 10.7% of total guest nights and 8.1% of total tourist expenditure annually.
Minister for Tourism Konrad Mizzi mentioned that the success of this sector also reflects the synergy between tourism and education sectors. Through the financing of this study, the Tourism Ministry is showing its commitment to further develop the ELT Malta brand and address its challenges ahead.
The MTA's executive chairman, Dr Gavin Gulia, noted that students coming to Malta to learn English is an important niche, particularly in the younger generation, as for the vast majority, it will be their first experience of the Maltese Islands, and more often than not, they would be intrigued and possibly return again with their friends. It is also important to note that English language students need not only be teenagers, and it is a growing trend that professionals come to the Maltese Islands in winter to do an intensive crash course of English, in order to help them at work or progress in their field. These mature students often stay at more luxurious accommodations and on occasion come down with their family, which is a boost for the economy in the post-summer months.
James Perry, Feltom CEO said that "together with Deloitte, Feltom has been monitoring the ELT industry for the past eight years, not only through monthly performance barometers but also with an in-depth annual analysis which looks at the industry performance in much greater depth than that carried out by the NSO. While this industry has shown growth, it was noted that certain critical success factors such as the provision of accommodation needs to be sustained in the long run. For this reason, Feltom felt the need to carry out a comprehensive industry study to understand further this sector and create a plan of action for the future and to ensure its sustainability. Thanks to the Ministry of Tourism and Deloitte, this research can now take place".