Up till some time ago, people entering Malta by air used to be welcomed by a rapid explanation of what Malta offers its visitors by way of culture.

As people trooped in from the planes to the arrivals lounge they were met by a series of panels and three-dimensional mock-ups of some of Malta’s attractions such as, if one remembers correctly, Ħaġar Qim, the Tapestry Chamber etc.

On the other side of the corridor there were other display windows featuring Malta’s past wars.

Now all that, which was launched with a big bang just some years ago, has been swept away and nothing of it remains except a sculpture group, now looking rather forlorn.

Instead, visitors are now greeted by huge panels advertising banks and on the opposite wall equally huge panels advertising one of the casinos in Malta.

The contrast between what one finds today and what used to be on offer just a few months ago could not be more striking.

It has often been said that for Malta, the airport is our national ‘intrata’ – entrance hall. It sets the tone for the Maltese experience that a visitor will get. When the heritage panels were set up, Malta was trying to make a qualitative improvement from the old sun, sand and sea experience to one that highlighted the immense cultural heritage that Malta can offer.

Now that this has been replaced by these casino panels one asks whether this is what Malta seeks to offer its visitors. Maybe some of them will end up asking themselves whether they had gone to Las Vegas by mistake.

Over the past years, as we all know, Malta International Airport has been privatised and it is now mainly private sector-owned. Some still argue about that political decision, but just as has happened abroad, privatising the airport has been in the national interest, even though this is the only airport we have in our country.

One admires all the various improvements that have been done – the increased number of sales outlets both airside and landside, the new business centre going up, the additional airlines that have been attracted to Malta, etc – so one still wonders why did the airport think the revenue that must come with these advertising panels is so important that it overrode any other consideration.

Imagine if the government were to do the same with City Gate.

One must also consider the cumulative impact: A visitor coming to Malta for the first time, not knowing what he will find, first reads adverts for so many girly clubs and then is enticed by the casino advert.