Labour MPs Evarist Bartolo and Joseph Cuschieri presented a motion in parliament yesterday morning to discuss the tourism industry.

Mr Cuschieri explained that the Opposition did not present the motion in order to achieve any particular goals, but to raise a serious debate and share ideas on ways of improving the tourism sector, which is one of the country’s main economic pillars.

The Labour MPs proposed an emergency plan to improve the tourism sector in the coming months, saying that the current decline in the number of tourists visiting the country was worrying.

Mr Bartolo and Mr Cuschieri expressed concern that, during the first five months of the year, fewer tourists had visited Malta than in the previous year.

On the other hand, statistics issued by the World Tourism Organisation (WTO) show that tourism all over the world, including the southern part of Europe and the Mediterranean, has been growing at rates of between four and five per cent compared to last year’s levels, the Labour MPs said.

“What are we doing to face these serious difficulties?” asked Mr Bartolo. He said that the country could not just blame its declining tourism industry on the problems

facing the rest of the world.

Like every other destination, Malta is passing through a phase in its tourism industry that will either lead to “rejuvenation” or a drastic minimisation, he said.

The tourism industry has not shown significant improvements for the past decade or so, which is a sign of a dying industry. The country cannot afford to lose one of its vital sectors, he insisted.

Mr Bartolo said that Malta is not giving its tourists enough of what they really want. “We must address tourists’ needs and offer an improved service but also an excellent complete product,” he said.

While the government needs to control and manage the situation in a better manner, it is extremely import-ant for the private sector to improve its service, the Opposition spokesman for tourism said.

He added that tourists judge a country by their holistic experience, so this might put some more pressure on us, since we are so small and the whole country is a tourism zone. We must therefore get our act together, not only to make the country cleaner, but also to make it look nicer and provide the required facilities.

Mr Bartolo concluded by saying that it is important for the MTA, which has had four different chairmen in three years, to be given stability. There needs to be more focus and a concentration of energies to improve our tourism industry, which is the daily bread of thousands of people in Malta, he said.

Tourism and Culture Minister Francis Zammit Dimech confirmed that, during the fist five months of the year, there has been a reduction of 1.4 per cent over the previous year. Moreover, passenger movements in June and July have shown that this decrease will continue, he said.

Different travel patterns and trends need to be considered as part of the dynamic aspect of the tourism industry, he said. All those who would like to travel are being spoilt for choice –and the competition will only increase.

However, each and every citizen must shoulder the responsibility to offer quality service, so we must work collectively and in collaboration with each other, Dr Zammit Dimech said.

We have a national responsibility to become aware and be proud of our diversity and cultural heritage, while rediscovering our traditional characteristic of being a hospitable nation, he added.

Dr Zammit Dimech said that his ministry will be appointing a small consultative group that will focus on specific aspects of marketing. He said that he had invited former Labour Tourism Minister Karmenu Vella to form part of this consultative structure, but Mr Vella could not accept the post for a number of reasons, including his duties with the Opposition.

Labour MP Evarist Bartolo reacted to the minister’s comments by saying that it was unfair on Mr Vella for him to have been approached on an individual basis and asked: “Why don’t you also involve the Opposition?”

At the end of the sitting, Leader of the House and Deputy Prime Minister Tonio Borg announced that Parliament is adjourned until 6pm on Monday, 25 September. The agenda will be communicated at a later date.