Sport can help people live a healthier life, he said, in a message marking World Tourism Day, which is celebrated today.

Malta can help link these two sectors for the benefit of all Maltese and our visitors.

For this to happen, said Mr Bartolo, we must develop more sports facilities to attract more tourists and at the same time enable more Maltese to take up sport.

Tourists do not come to Malta only for our hotels, but to see the country. In this respect, Mr Bartolo appealed to all Malta’s citizens to give tourists a good impression of Malta by treating them in the best way possible.

He said that the MLP is worried that some people seem to have given up on tourism and, instead of investing in it, were closing their establishments.

The government should tackle this sector more seriously.

“It is useless if the Malta Tourism Authority is given a new look and then ministers work on their own and take decisions that are bad for the tourism sector,” Mr Bartolo said.

He pointed out that government should not increase the sector’s expenses, as this would make it less competitive.

The government should see that the country is tidy and disciplined, that nobody treats tourists badly and that our historical and natural heritage is attractive. The tourism sector should also be consulted before any decisions are taken.

Gozo should also be given the attention it deserves, said Mr Bartolo.