In my last article, I wrote about the need to work on tourism through commitment, trust and synergy. But this is not going to turn a mature and well used destination into a quality destination that is the first choice for any visitor. At the moment we are taking in all visitors or, to use the more colloquial and common term, all tourists irrespective of their reasons for being at the destination. As long as they have a few coins clinking in their pocket we’ve got them – we do not ask why they are here. Government today is just interested in the statistics without the research and study as to how we can improve the profile and the destination. If Joe Schmidt from Frankfurt or Joe Bloggs from Liverpool want to bring their bucket and spade with them and paddle about in the hotel pool for a week, we’re happy with them – just give them a cheap meal, charge an extortionate price for it and palm them off with a third rate brew or a bottle of plonk then everybody is happy; or so we think. Looking at the visitor who WANTS to be here, above the Bloggs and Schmidts, who happen to be here because the price and cheap flight was available is not tourism. I can write endlessly about how we can be professional in managing tourism but I will not waste my ink I think; there will come a time when I will do that and be appreciated for my contribution.
Right now I just want to point out and warn that if we take the path we have been taking this last decade – of trying to double our tourist intake every year (in 2013 we received 1.3 million tourists and in 2019 that figure had more than doubled to 2.8 million tourists) without measuring the impact of this sudden growth then we are doomed to an activity that would be so commercialised we would lose the little that is left of the character, culture and heritage which is left after Mr Builder has erected their next block of fletsijiet. We should look at tourism as a socio-cultural activity that will benefit the host community through a quality lifestyle, a better environment and a sound employment. Tourism is not an industry that is relegated to a few unethical businesses and authorities that look at statistics as if they were the weekly lottery draws. I want to see tourism here become that activity which spreads hospitality and service from the host to the visitor, that will again look at visitors wanting to return to the friendly place they can call home from home; I DON’T want to see tourism treated like a poor little prostitute who has to sell herself to make a penny which will put bread on her table.
In conclusion, there is a way out of this tragedy – it is looking at the application of the management of tourism as professionals, knowing how to plan, develop, implement and deliver quality instead of quantity. Let me see how many people can leave a clear message in the blogs to this article that shows we all want a tourism activity that works for all.
There are still a few places left for the course Applied Management of Tourism. Those of you who are interested in enrolling in this accredited course can write to me at: [email protected] or visit the link at https://www.learningworks.edu.mt/courses/catering-and-hospitality/mqf-level-6-award-in-applied-management-of-tourism/. This can be the start of putting theory and words into practice – let us start rethinking tourism together now.
Recommendations and Summary
1. Look for the quality visitor who wants to be here
2. Manage tourism professionally without the firefighting techniques we are currently using
3. Make the destination a number one choice for the visitor who wants to be here
4. Nurture the idea of tourism as a socio cultural activity not an over commercialised and abstract industry
Dr Julian Zarb is a researcher, local tourism planning consultant and an Academic 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.