We need to take the idea of a continuous tourism industry that is based on sustainable principles and quality seriously instead of playing about as we have done over the last decade.

In my last article, I wrote about the issue of promoting a destination that is secure and safe for the visitor and where there is added value in the experience offered. These islands have the potential to be a great example of a sustainable and quality destination as long as the good governance, management and professionalism is practised by people who are honest, trustworthy and committed to this credo. This week I will start a new chapter in the “Being Responsible” series about tourism by taking a brief look at how you can turn this shoddy , ill managed destination into a sparking jewel again.  During the thirties the islands were referred to as the “Jewel of the Mediterranean” but like the artefacts scattered around the islands, this has become tarnished by greed, bad management and bad governance over the last decade.  But do not disamay there is a way in which you can polish the jewel and make it an example, a pilot for other destinations of that quality destination you speak about so often.  If you take a look at the heritage  and history, the character and culture that is still left across the islands (that which has not been destroyed by uncouth developers, that is) the islands emanate a wonderful scenario of a Mediterranean scene – the undulating , low hills, the towns and villages that still show the traditional style when they were built hundreds of years ago.  This is what you MUST preserve at all costs if you want to save this jewel from total erradication.  Make sure that you follow these very basic guidelines:

1.                 Look after your immediate surroundings.  Outside your homes, make sure that the environment is clean and pleasant instead of drab and dilapidated. 

2.                 Be responsible inside your house in ensuring you practice your civic behaviour when disposing of waste correctly.

3.                 Participate and make your voice heard with your local council to ensure that this sense of belonging and civic behaviour is disseminated throughout the whole locality.

4.                 Make your voice heard NOW against uncouth and disrespectful developers, politicians and businesspersons who treat these islands as there own breeding ground for ill-earned money.

5.                 Make sure that you also are responsible and take ownership for the rethinking, redevelopment and restoring of a tourism activity that is sustainable and that creates a quality destination.

6.                 Finally, take care of these islands so that you can pass it on to future generations in a better state than you found it today.  This means that you have to take ownership and responsbibilitry, never depend on the short-termists – the politician and the businesspersons, they will never show that same responsbility and ownership.

If you follow these six short and easy guidelines from this week then you can start to see some slow but steady improvement in restoring the sparkle to these wonderful islands .  These six guidelines will be included in the Guidelines for Stewardship that I will be publishing later this year, once again, below, is my invitation to all of you to be part of this legacy for a better destination, a better country and a sustainable future.

I know what my replies would be and given the choices we all have as travellers I am certain I will find a far better destination where the host community is hospitable, the service is there and the civic pride can add to my value experience that will add to my value for money. 

As I have said many times, visitors to a destination today are not just looking for price and availability but they are really interested in that value experience.  These islands need to take a decision now – do you want to offer visitors real hospitality, service and professionalism or will you continue to allow bad  governance and mismanagement to destroy the character, culture and attractiveness of the islands? 

Still more facts in this short article that I hope will continue to encourage more people to write in and assist in the compilation of the Guidelines to Stewardship by Q3 of 2023.  Thank you to all those who have already shown their support from as far as the UK, Switzerland and Germany (incidentally three of our key source markets).  If we persist in ignoring these facts then , as I have said, tourism here will be an activity that may just attract sordid and nasty characters instead of the visitor who wants to be here – let us keep persisting.

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.

3.                  Recognize 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.

4.                  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 99167805.

5.                  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.