Addressing the ninth annual general meeting of the Gozo Tourism Association, Gozo Minister Giovanna Debono spoke about the government’s continuous action towards improving the industry.
Minister Debono spoke about the main problem of seasonality, which affects the tourism industry in Gozo, and how the ministry, the Gozo Tourism Association and the Malta Tourism Authority, are addressing it. Minister Debono said that during recent years, particularly in the past year, many initiatives were taken to improve the tourism product while efforts towards marketing Gozo as a distinct destination in international markets have increased.
Minister Debono referred to the project addressing the diving industry in Gozo, which was completed recently. Funded though European Union and national funds, the project involved the setting up of a decompression chamber at the Gozo General Hospital, an international publicity campaign marketing Gozo as a diving destination, a master plan proposing recommendations on improving the industry, as well as the scuttling of the two vessels off Xatt l-Ahmar Bay, with this site already becoming one of the three most popular dive sites in Gozo.
She also referred to a number of other projects which are currently being implemented and which are to leave a positive impact on the tourism product in Gozo. Minister Debono referred to the setting up of the Tourism Training Facility in Qala, the Incubation Centre for crafts in Ghajnsielem, the Museum of Archaeology display project, the construction of the Waste Water Treatment Plant project as well as a number of arterial roads leading towards tourism zones in Gozo.
Minister Debono said that this year, more projects will be carried out by the Ministry for Gozo, including the embellishment of the Villa Rundle gardens in Victoria and the site known as Zewwieqa near Mgarr Harbour.
Referring to marketing initiatives that were carried out recently, Minister Debono said that never before today had Gozo received such attention on the international level and that this came about only after the setting up of the Gozo unit within the Malta Tourism Authority that increased promotional initiatives to market Gozo as a distinct destination.
Minister Debono said that during 2006, the MTA was instrumental in the featuring of adverts and advertorials in a number of important international publications as well as publicity measures in specialised publications including those for diving and conference and incentive travel. One should note that during 2006, one third of a number of the MTA’s outdoor poster campaigns, including those held in England, France and the Netherlands, were dedicated exclusively towards the promotion of Gozo.
Minister Debono also mentioned the organisation of visits by the MTA for 80 travel agents from England, France and Switzerland as well as the joint collaboration between the Ministry for Gozo, the GTA and the MTA to assist the cruise liner visits, including two cruise liners that visited Gozo for the first time. Minister Debono said that it has already been decided that one of these two cruise liners will return to Gozo with another three visits planned for the year 2007.
Minister Debono concluded by thanking all the GTA’s council members for their dedication during the past year and appealed for the continuation of a joint effort for the further improvement of the tourism industry in Gozo.