For a small island like Gozo, where tourism infrastructure is naturally limited by size, so much so it reaches saturation points during peak seasons, the only way to improve results is by spreading tourist arrivals all year round. It is unwise – and probably not effective – to keep aiming for larger numbers of tourists in summer because that adds strain on the infrastructure, on the domestic population and the environment. The end result would be a poorer visiting experience for the tourists themselves.
On the other hand, targeting more, and higher-quality tourists in the leaner months brings multiple benefits. First and foremost, it taps a time and space where existing infrastructure is underemployed, if not idle. The leaner months are the times where one may add some more quantity – apart from quality – to boost up performance in the tourist industry. If this increase in quantity is increased consistently, that will in turn reduce the perception that tourism in Gozo is seasonal. This perception – which has been true ever since Gozo started presenting itself as a tourist destination – is one of the greatest hurdle, threat or enemy to the improvement in infrastructure and human resources in the tourist industry of Gozo. If we want to be honest, it is very difficult, or daring to say the least, for someone plan his full time earnings in the tourist industry, if seasonality means that a restaurant has to close on weekdays during winter, or accommodation units are vacant for 3 months of the year.
Therefore, if we want the private sector to give more quality-input, if we want our tourist-industry workers to be more professional full-timers for an enhanced touristic product, if we want the industry to be more sustainable, then we have to get our act together and strengthen it all year round. This has been a high-priority goal of the Ministry for Gozo since the beginning of this legislature. Positive results so far encourage us to go further in this stance, and this Christmas season is just another right occasion to work hard and prove ourselves.
We have to make Gozo, an island for all seasons. Mother nature bestows us with a rather long sun-sea-sand season. Then we have to create the other seasons. One of these is the Christmas Season. With regards to events and activities, the programme is a showcase of talent, hard work, energy and passion put up by hundreds and thousands of Gozitans. Even if we put aside the economic and touristic aspects of it, the fact that this season sees the participation of just a wide spectrum of the Gozitan population is remarkable. It ropes in the whole Gozitan society in an active civil participation that adds to the joie de vivre in Gozo. This feel-good-factor is not only good as it is transmitted to our tourists and visitors, but first and foremost to our own people who reside and dwell on the island.
While the popular attraction of Betlehem f’Għajnsielem runs – steadier and stronger – until the first week of January, alongside scores of exhibitions and crib displays, the 2016 Christmas in Gozo programme features a wide array of events and activities. We have launched the season in style a few days ago with the lighting up of the island’s festive illumination. Apart from village cores, this year we managed to get a whooping 7 km stretch of continuous illumination from the ferry port straight to Victoria’s main square, the heart of the island.
Events have been distributed in the village cores as well so that even the smaller villages and their people get to share, to contribute and to enjoy the benefits of such a programme. Furthermore, winter-holiday tourists are more likely to enjoy discovering these less-urban gems, and, dressed in their Christmas garb these villages become their ideal attractions. Such is the case of San Lawrenz’s Swejjaq, the first Gozo International Choir Festival, Santa Luċija’s festival of lights and others. Add some scrumptious local cuisine to all this, and the visitors can rest assured of a holiday they will never forget.
In the meantime, mass participation is also ensured by having events for different age brackets and people with different interests. For yet another year, children are having their Dinja tat-Tfal organised at the Gozo Sports Complex, while the Gozo Visual and Performing Arts School continues its outreach promotion of the performing arts with more Christmastide concerts for the general public. Victoria’s main road will once again host the Christmas parade, something which was experimentally launched last year, and is set to grow this year with the guest participation of the popular “BrassTubes” band.
The list may go on with pageants, Christmas concerts and recitals taking place in or next door to every village church. So yes, people will be spoilt for choice. The Ministry for Gozo is not organising all of this, but it actively supports it. The Christmas season is a chance to get Gozo and its people hyped up and moving even in the cold winter months. They get moving because they are involved, but they get moving because they also have guests to host. And this is the beauty of it all. We have seen how last year’s efforts for a 2015 Christmas season yielded an increase of over 45,000 people and 15,000 vehicles crossing over to Gozo in December compared to the 2014 Christmas.
The island for all seasons, with a fully-fledged Christmas season is now all geared up and ready to go. Let this year’s season be another learning curve for one and all so that seasons are increased, infrastructure is strengthened and then, yes, “a prosperous new year” becomes much more tangible than a mere wish.
Dr Refalo is the Minister for Gozo