There are various factors affecting tourism. On some we have direct influence while on others we have not. For sure we can change those things that, besides being irritating to tourists, are first and foremost irritating to us locals.

Why do we continue to allow hunting and trapping to decimate the remaining bird population?

This is doing a great harm to Malta’s image, besides killing and maiming these innocent creatures. I hope that reason prevails and the current ORNIS committee will try to abolish this activity.

We continue to spoil our small sandy beaches with cigarette butts, broken glass, bottle crowns, plastic, charcoal, food leftovers, you name it and it’s on the beach.

Rubbish bins are provided by the authorities on most beaches and are there to be used.

We continue to spoil our streets and the environment with anything imaginable. All the rubbish that is not picked up by the cleaning agencies is ending up all over Malta and in our seas. This rubbish can choke land and sea animals and makes our sea and the environment in general filthy.

We continue to discuss large scale ‘tourist’ projects outside development zones, when several hotels are closing down or being converted into apartments.

Ta’ Cenc hotel expansion, and the development in Hondoq ir-Rummien, Qala are just two. Can Malta afford to lose large tracts of open spaces for the sake of more development?

We have not yet established a proper recycling system to handle all the waste generated over Malta. We cannot continue generating all this waste to be dumped in a landfill.

We continue to allow the current traffic situation with all the inherent chaos and pollution.

It would be better to encourage the use of public transport, offer car pooling incentives and create more bicycle lanes.

All this will encourage more people to use their car less thus contributing to safer driving which will in turn make it more enjoyable for everyone, and will reduce pollution.

We continue to maltreat animals. Regularly we hear about poisoned cats and dogs, cigarette burns on animals, abandoned animals that need treatment, partly burned animals, animals held in small cages, horse drawn carriages waiting in the sun and being driven after midday in the midst of all that traffic, etc.

This abuse must be stopped. It does not help anyone.

We continue uprooting and cutting trees like these were our worst enemies. When are we going to realise that we need and depend on trees?

No amount of tree planting will reverse the amount of carbon dioxide we are emitting.

And the list continues on and on. We have to live with these environment hazard activities all year long.

If we do not have the will to correct these basic things, when some will not even cost us a penny, then we cannot complain that tourist numbers are getting lower and lower.

Tourists do have other alternative holiday destinations!

Edward Camilleri

Mosta