This week I followed the news about the ITS AI course for third country nationals to gain a skills pass for the Hospitality and Tourism career path (most likely simply an opportunity for low paid and bland job!) and I sent out a blog that I am repeating here about the amateurish way in which we are treating the training programmes for a professional career, here it is:

As an academic in the UK and Malta in tourism studies and management, I still believe this remote method will have some flaws, namely:

1 It loses the benefit of face to face education and student - tutor interaction.

2. Hospitality and tourism foundation courses need an element of practical studies and placement to put into practice what was learnt in theory.

3. The foundation course must ensure commitment, trust and synergy in the studies by the students and tutor.

4. The idea of the course and the pass must be to encourage further study including university degrees and CPD.

5. I really would like to have a resume of the qualifications and aptitude of the two persons responsible for the courses at ITS.

6.  Finally, treat hospitality and tourism training as a profession and career not a job to fill gaps in the industry. Otherwise this , so called, course will just be another cash cow for some “special” contractor!

I would suggest these six points are read carefully by those responsible for ensuring the quality and skills of our human resources in the hospitality and tourism activity (although I will not hold my breathe too hard since no one on these islands listen to good sense!)

So we are getting ready for a summer season as spring replaces winter.  But what do we have in store here I wonder?  Glorious experiences for the quality tourist or perhaps a destination where the visitor is welcomed as that person who really wants to be here for the sense of honest and genuine hospitality and tourism?  Wake up…that was only a dream, the reality is explained below.

It seems that the new season, starting with spring has started with that sparkle over the islands in terms of the Mediterranean beauty of , what is left, of our natural heritage – the honey coloured garigues, the beauty of the wildlife and plants but as we move back into reality there is the horror of the urban and rural environment where roads are closed, repaired, repaired again, left unrepaired and closed and where the race to build on every inch of land has reached fever point! No, these islands will not attract the quality visitor nor will it demonstrate its genuine hospitality and service; it will remain a mediocre destination attracting mediocre visitors who have no ethical behavior and are ignorant of the vulnerability of an island is in terms of sustainability and carrying capacity.  You have the makings of an island paradise on these islands – history, heritage, blue skies, clear sea and nature yet you seems to throw that away and accept the wrong decisions and bad governance from authorities who are utterly incompetent when it comes to real tourism and hospitality today.

Once again I will list my six suggestions to start (it will not happen overnight) correcting the mistakes and bad management of tourism on these islands:

1.       Start to renew the local plans with the support, consultation and work of the three key stakeholders – the local authorities, the business community and the local community.  Make sure the consultations are consistent and continuous not just superficial PR exercises for the short term politician and business person.

2.      Take drastic action against developers and businesses who are destroying the character and culture of the urban and rural environment by voicing your anger and showing that you will not accept this arrogant behavior any longer – stop being apathetic and start being vociferous.

3.      Understand that tourism is not an industry that makes easy money for a few and contributes some 25% to the GDP, but it is an activity that must be nurtured through professional training, civic responsibility and a sense of belonging that will create that genuine hospitality and service.

4.      You cannot serve God and Mammon – a warning to those developers and politicians who try to sit on the fence when it comes to deciding on sustainable management of tourism. You cannot endorse more ghastly buildings, more vehicles, more roads and commercialization while saying at the same time that you want quality tourism – this shows that you are clueless and immature in your knowledge of tourism.

5.      If you want to enjoy a successful summer then you must start now (although it is already far too late!) to declare your determination to protect your heritage, history, environment and culture from those uncouth business people, developers and politicians who just see the tourism activity as their short-term cash cow.

6.      Finally, just remember this statement that was made over 30 years ago at a conference in Barcelona and is very appropriate to these islands:  “ Tourism is like a fire, it can cook your food or it can burn your house down”.  The way in which tourism is managed today it is certainly setting off sparks and parts are already smouldering – it is up to YOU to stop that fire NOW>

By following these six stages, we can ensure that these islands are managed professionally, sustainably and with the idea of developing a quality activity that attracts the visitor who wants to be here not the one who wants to be here.  Travel and Tourism to these islands today is about quantitative gains for the greedy and uncouth.  We need to put professionalism and hospitality back in the equation.

 

Dr Julian Zarb is a researcher, local tourism planning consultant and an Academic at the University of Malta. He has also been appointed as an Expert for the High Streets Task Force in the UK.  His main area of research is community-based tourism and local tourism planning using the integrated approach.