Alternattiva Demokratika – the Green Party chairman Harry Vassallo said that Gozitan operators had every right to complain that existing tourism structures did not focus sufficiently on Gozo.

“Gozo is not a sector among others, such as diving or cultural tourism, but a separate region which demands and deserves separate branding and marketing,” Dr Vassallo said during a meeting with the Gozo Tourism Association (GTA) at its offices in Victoria.

Dr Vassallo said that Alternattiva Demokratika was in tune with the concerns expressed by the GTA regarding services such as public transport in Gozo, a shuttle bus service between the Gozo ferry and Luqa airport and the need to establish a viable air-link between Gozo and Luqa airport.

“It would not be possible to describe any such developments as progress if they came with a cost to the rural character of Gozo, which the GTA values very highly,” Dr Vassallo said. “Solutions exist which can accommodate the need of the Gozo tourism sector without impacting its most valued assets.”

Gozo offers possibilities for urban mobility innovation which can not only address the problems of access or of parking but which can become a special attraction in themselves, enhancing and not detracting from the peaceful atmosphere which charms every visitor, Dr Vassallo added.