In my last article, I wrote about the shoddy presentation of these islands and the fact that we cannot (and should not) even have the audacity to promote these islands as a tourist destination. The dirt, work-in-progress, arrogance, inhospitable atmosphere and the disservice everywhere is rampant. What is worse, there is no serious governance and management. Today I will comment on a related issue – the lack of professionals (local or foreign) in the tourism sector.

You walk into a restaurant, bistro or any other coffee shop or outlet and you are met with service personnel who cannot communicate in basic English, who are not trained in the art of service or cookery, menus that are not only basic but lack any innovation, taste or colour. What we have today are not professional restaurant managers, head waiters or chef de rang nor do we have executive chefs and chef de partie; we simply have a clutch of untrained, amateur waiters and cooks. We cannot offer any service with these employees, it is time to rethink, redevelop and restore professionalism in the service we offer and the hospitality that we need to emanate.

Now if you ignore, once again, my suggestion of what is needed (I am referring here to the government as well as industry leaders) you will literally reap what you sow – a completely dislocated and fragmented mess that was once tourism. Where are the tourism students graduating from the University and the ITS? What are the businesses doing today to encourage these trained and dedicated persons to build a career (not just apply for a job) in this sector? What are the entrepreuners doing to innovate and build a better tourism sector? Simple answer from where I am standing – nothing, zilch, nada! You are just ignoring the real aspect for professionalism here. Don’t even think of tourism promotion yet, let alone dream about seven stars – they are a long way off. We need a complete change in the government, in the business ethics and policies and in the incentives for professionals to build careers.

If there is no will here there will be no tourism for these islands; we will lose investors, professionals and tourism to other more proactive destinations.

This year I will be completing the Guidelines for Stewardships with the help of a number of individuals and NGOs who have already approached me and I hope to present this to you, as the community, to our politicians and to our authorities. We may, yet, be able to save these islands from total oblivion as a sustainable and quality tourist destination – that is my New Year’s resolution. Will YOU join me?

Recommendations and Summary

1.       Let us build community spirit by developing the Guidelines for Stewardship together; I invite all those interested to contact me;

2.      We should identify areas where we can regenerate local tourism for the quality visitor; and

3.      Recognise our duty as communities to enhance our environment and care for the precious trees that will add value to our moral, ethical and physical quality of life.

Those NGOs and persons (including local councils) interested in working with me on this project should email me on [email protected] or call me on 9916 7805.

Let us get going – let us really build better and reverse the horrendous state of this island.

I sometimes wonder – am I writing for the converted? Are there any other persons who agree or disagree with me? I frequently meet people who read these articles – but these articles are not just there to be read on a lazy Sunday afternoon, they are there to sow the seeds of change from apathy to commitment – to make tourism an activity we can be proud of. Let me know what you think and how you feel about tourism.

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.