The Malta Tourism Authority said yesterday it has no policy aiming to turn the north of Malta into an entertainment hub and that it is conscious of the importance of the promotion of a sustainable tourism policy which respects the environment.
It was referring, without saying so, to remarks by its chairman, Sam Mifsud, in a court case, when he said that the authority was keen on shifting the entertainment industry towards Bugibba and St Paul’s Bay. The remarks provoked various statements.
The MTA said that the present day procedures in place in assessing tourism projects and the issuance of tourism policy compliance certificates (TPCCs) “involves not just a technical and tourism-oriented review of applications, but also a scrutiny of each application and how such applications conform to the 23 main objectives laid down in the Tourism Policy document and the tasks set out in the Tourism Plan 2007-2011, of which environmental considerations form an important component.”
The salient features of each such application assessed by the MTA are then passed on to recently formed Tourism and Sustainable Development Unit within the Office of the Prime Minister for further analysis, it said. “Conscious of the importance of the promotion of a sustainable tourism policy which respects the environment, the MTA has undertaken a number of initiatives to this end,” it said. These include:
The Eco Certification initiative, wherein hotels that adopt various pre-ordained eco-friendly measures are awarded the official Eco certification.
The implementation of all the measures necessary to obtain international Blue Flag status (which focuses especially on eco-friendly measures) for various beaches around Malta and Gozo, now and in the coming years.
This year’s World Tourism Day (27 September) initiatives, which are to focus on the challenges of climate change and global warming, and are to include various educational promotions aimed at heightening environmental awareness, both among the public in general as well as within the trade.
Other initiatives of this nature, including the co-funding schemes for landscaping and environmental upgrading projects for local councils, as well as afforestation projects implemented together with BirdLife (Foresta 2000) in Ta’ Qali, the Simar Nature reserve, the Ghadira Nature reserve and Sta Margherita gardens, Vittoriosa.
It added: “The MTA would furthermore like to clarify that it has no current policy for turning the north of Malta into an entertainment hub, the likes of Paceville.”
It said it is conscious of the environmental importance and scenic value of the north of Malta, and is committed to enhance and embellish the region’s product and product offer, especially within the St Paul’s Bay, Bubibba, Qawra and Mellieha area.
“To this end, the MTA has submitted to the government a number of projects for EU funding and is pleased to note that three of its projects for the north have been approved by the government. The MTA is conscious of the importance of the environment, as an intricate part of the product we would like to offer our tourists, and will strive to support projects that enhance the environment.”