The diving master plan for Gozo and Comino, forming part of the EU co-funded Niche Tourism Project for the island of Gozo, was presented to the island’s diving tourism stakeholders at the Gozo Ministry yesterday.
Speaking during the meeting, Gozo Minister Giovanna Debono said that the drawing up of the master plan for diving was done in a bid to give a holistic approach to diving as an area with potential growth for the benefit of the tourism industry for Gozo.
The government had identified diving as an area where Gozo could have a competitive advantage and is now committed towards further improving the product on offer.
The Niche Tourism Project for the Island of Gozo, involving the investment of e1.3 million, involved also the scuttling of the vessels MV Karwela and MV Cominoland in August, the setting up of a decompression chamber in December, a marketing campaign through international magazines, a new website and a DVD, and the actual Master Plan.
Minister Debono said the Master Plan, carried out in consultation with all the diving schools in Gozo, does not only give an analysis of the product on offer at present but also provides a basis for future developments and identifies measures that could be implemented to improve all diving sites around Gozo and Comino for the islands to be able to offer a more upmarket product.
Minister Debono announced that now that the Master Plan has been drawn up, the ministry will set up a Task Force to follow up on the measures identified and come up with an action plan to implement short-term, medium-term and long-term targets.
The Diving Master Plan for Gozo and Comino gives a thorough assessment of the existing product on offer and identifies ways for improvement on both land and sea, including individual site reports of diving locations.
It looks at the underwater features but also the facilities for access to and from the water as well as other amenities on land that would enhance the diving experience.
Recommendations include the upgrading of shore diving sites with appropriate infrastructure; the organisation of parking and kitting up facilities at diving sites; the provision of safety equipment and the improvement of facilities to reduce the possibility of accidents at diving sites; the provision of more wrecks and artificial reefs at selected diving sites; the provision of secure mooring buoys at boat diving locations; measures to attract more fish to diving sites; and the organisation of proper data collection exercises to assist in better product-analysis and monitoring.
Following Minister Debono’s introduction, Mr Adrian Mallia, who conducted the research and drew up the Master Plan on behalf of Adi Associates Environmental Consultants Ltd, gave a presentation about the study findings and recommendations. The diving industry stakeholders on Gozo had the opportunity to provide feedback on the report presented during the meeting.
The Diving Master Plan for Gozo and Comino forms part of the Structural Funds Programme for Malta 2004-2006 Niche Tourism Project for the Island of Gozo, specifically under the European Regional Development Fund, with the Government of Malta funding 25 per cent of the project value.