The number of passengers and vehicles that crossed over between Malta and Gozo has fallen for the second quarter running.

Between April and June this year, just under 900,000 people made the trip to or from Gozo, 27,000 fewer

passengers than during the same period last year. This

represents a fall of three per cent and is in addition to the 4.6 per cent decline in the number of travellers recorded in the first quarter.

The number of cars that were carried also fell by more than 13,000 between April and June, a decline of nearly six per cent over the same period last year. There was a fall of nearly eight per cent in the first quarter as well.

There are many who believe that the increase in the price of ferry tickets has contributed to this decline. While, initially, increases in both the number of passengers and vehicles were recorded soon after the new prices came into effect, the same cannot be said for the last six months.

Others say that there are other factors that have contributed to this decline. They think that over the years, Gozo has become too much like Malta, and the fact that the cost of renting farmhouses or apartments has shot up in the past few years has also had an effect.

The fact that now, for example, the cost of having a holiday in Tunisia is only a little more expensive than a holiday in Gozo has pushed many people to travel there rather than to the sister island.

The opposition criticises the government on a number of matters. It mentions the increase in tariffs as one of the main reasons for the decline in the number of visitors, adding that the government seems to have neglected Gozo and is not doing enough to make it more attractive.

This is true only in part, as those who do visit the island know that the development that has taken place has made the island more modern and tourist-friendly. Yet, on the other hand, it could be that it is this “excessive” development that has caused a reduction in the number of visitors.

It is an acknowledged fact that Gozo’s economy relies heavily on the influx of the Maltese, who normally go there for a few days of peace and relaxation. But if they find the same problems, including traffic, in Gozo as they find in Malta, then a visit there is no longer considered a “break”, and more so if the cost of having this holiday in Gozo rises every year – and by this we do not only mean the ferry tickets, but also the cost of renting a place in which to stay.

It must be said that, in recent years, Gozo has lost some of the characteristics which made it different from the main island. This in itself could have been one of the factors that is resulting in a decline in the number of visitors.

It is also unfortunate that very few of the tourists who come to Malta also visit Gozo. In this respect, more should be done to market the island. There are doubts as to whether it is ideal to promote Gozo as a separate destination; what is indisputable is that tourists coming over here should know more about Gozo and should be encouraged to spend a part of their holiday there.

One other problem that needs to be addressed is the current state of affairs at the Mgarr and Cirkewwa terminals. Too much time has elapsed since the start of the project. Too much time has been wasted. Work on the terminals should be completed as soon as possible.