In my last article I announced the return of the Institute of Hospitality to the Mediterranean. Now that this committee has started to work for a better, sustainable and responsible tourism activity for the region, I think it is time we looked inwards on these islands and see just how we are acting in terms of civic responsibility and behaviour.
Last week we witnessed such an uncouth act of venomous behaviour when a migrant was left to die, after falling two storeys on a building site, in a country lane somewhere in the north of the island, by his alleged employer. Is this what hospitality has come to mean for us today?
But, perhaps, worse than that I witness this lack of civic behaviour most days myself. I walk out of my house and there is not one person, one neighbour who greets me with a simple: Good Morning; the reckless driving on the roads today, the attitude of some drivers and the looks and language these people relay are not only unacceptable but downright disgusting! Is this what hospitality has come to mean today?
We talk about hospitality and service as if they are just commercial activities, when in fact they are a way of behaving between one another; they are distinguished by an attitude and air of care and respect instead of foul-mouthed uttering. Before we even talk about restoring a sustainable and responsible tourism, let us consider these simple acts of civic behaviour and responsibility.
Probably the most obvious way in which we express hospitality is in our own neighbourhood – a pleasant welcome between each other, thinking about each other as we dispose of our litter. The art of civic tourism developed by Dr Dan Shilling is not some complicated process that requires a doctoral level of education; it is just about showing this care towards others, towards our neighbourhood and towards our planet. I think it is about time we gave more thought to this; in my research at the moment I am studying the ethnography of one particular locality in Malta and the common thoughts that came out from my discussions with residents was the sense of community we seem to have lost; despite the advances in so-called communication and technology, we have lost the ability to communicate in person. Look at your locality now, see how many people you actually see having a conversation on the sidewalk or how many children are actually playing with their neighbours today. This is what it means to be hospitable.
During this week look out for the telltale signs you experience of good hospitality and those bad signs of non-hospitality. I remember one very experienced local general manager I worked with in a hotel, many years ago telling me: “There is no such thing as bad service, you know. If the service is bad then there is no service.” Food for thought indeed!
Recommendations for acting with a civic sense of responsibility
Walk out of your house and greet your neighbours with a smile and good morning or good evening.
Be responsible when you are driving, follow the Highway Code; this is not just some theoretical or fictional story, it is there for our safety and the safety of other drivers and pedestrians.
Help others you may meet, especially visitors, who may feel out of place.
Remember that hospitality and service is a quality we all must show to each other every day if we want to live an acceptable quality of life.
Think before you act.
Act with a civic sense of responsibility in mind.
Dr Julian Zarb is a researcher, local tourism planning consultant and a visiting senior lecturer at the University of Malta. He has also been appointed as an expert for the High Streets Task Force in the UK. His main area of research is community-based tourism and local tourism planning using the integrated approach.