This week the news was, focused on the practices by the government based on hatred, personal interests, and acts that go against ethical ideology.  There is no sign of government and management being reviewed in the national interest.  These are the first steps to take if we want to start to practice the three R's of managing tourism responsibly; if we want to be rid of those uncouth tourists who walk through the streets of Valletta and Sliema, dressed - or, rather, undressed and our police and authorities enjoy these sights like some perverted wierdos!, then we need to work on rethinking tourism; if we want to make these islands exclusive to the tourist who wants to be here for the quality of that experience, then we must make sure the destination is inaccessible to the visitor who is acting like some lout, hooligan or ill-mannered savage then we have to rethink just what tourism means to us as a quality destination.  In my last article, I said we must work on the three R's of managing tourism.  Now I will give you some suggestions on how we can rethink tourism.

We need to start off by redefining tourism, not as an industry based on quantity and economic values but on the genuine display of hospitality and service, an activity that brings together the local community and the visitor not just the business person and the client.  Tourism is a socio-cultural activity that must rely on professionalism and delivering value for money and experiential value.  What you have been doing in the last decade is simply nurturing an industry that brings in the number of tourists but not the brains, not the quality, and certainly not the educated visitor. But the Ministry and MTA get high on recording escalating numbers - they ignore the poor quality. Rethinking tourism does not mean having a "post mortem" after the peak season is over and patting each other on the back and looking forward to an even bigger quantity of tourists next year! Rethinking tourism means we have to analyze the economic benefits for all stakeholders (including the community); the social benefits and their impact on the community's quality of life, the cultural impact and the effect on local behaviour, traditions and ethical life as well as the infrastructural benefits and how tourism is affecting the landscape and local environment. Let me put these changes about rethinking  tourism in the six stages:

1.        Consider tourism as a national activity not one that is limited to business and the economy.  Consider hospitality and service as activities that must be embedded in you all.

2.      Make tourism your focus in your own town or village.  Do not limit tourism as some activity that happens in other areas, resorts or localities.  The visitor is here to experience the destination including your home town.  This is your opportunity to be part of the activity.

3.      Insist on discussing a tourism plan and policy with your local council as well as the Tourism Authorities.  It is your right and duty.

4.      Make sure that consultation includes the whole community and not some sleazy businesspersons or developers who only look at the economic benefits.

5.      Rethinking tourism includes listening to your suggestions and proposals and discussing these together with the authorities and Ministries.

6.      Finally, do not accept all that the authorities state in a policy document as final or cast in stone - think about the effect on your quality of life and the quality of life of your community.

 

By following these six stages, we can ensure that these islands are managed professionally, sustainably and with the idea of developing a quality activity that attracts the visitor who wants to be here not the one who wants to be here.  Travel and Tourism to these islands today is about quantitative gains for the greedy and uncouth.  We need to put professionalism and hospitality back in the equation.

 

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.