A serious debate on the issue will serve as a platform on which to build a strategy that will help pull the sector out of the present stagnant situation.

Mr Bartolo said that while the authority had a

central role to play in the regeneration of tourism, there was also a lot of work to be done by the

government, together with the private sector, in order to attract more tourists, especially during the low season.

There is a need to pull in tourists who spend more and make repeated visits to the islands, he said.

The MTA needs to be more efficient, making sure that taxpayers’ money is spent on campaigns to attract more tourists to Malta, he explained, adding that it should include representatives from the whole sector and not be dominated by a small group of people only representing certain segments of the industry.

A parliamentary debate should be held in the context of the sector’s needs, with a strategic plan that lays down clear targets.

The sector’s competitiveness should be among the top priorities, he continued, followed by a concerted effort to ensure that visitors will get an interesting experience in a country that is different from its neighbours.

He said that there should be more investment in training in order to improve the service we offer. There should also be more law enforcement in order to maintain and improve the quality of the sector’s standards and to address the shabbiness that has overcome Malta’s environment and historic sites.

Mr Bartolo said that work was needed so that the sector’s entrepreneurs faith in the future of tourism is restored so that they will invest and secure the livelihood of so many families that work in tourism.