It's July, and as the temperatures continue to soar, we find ourselves in the middle of another full-blown tourist season. In fact, Government's plans to floor the paddle on arrivals is rather evident, and the effects have started to show rather prominently.
With an unprecedented 747 million visitors in 2024, all around Europe, the issue of over-tourism has become a poignant topic, which in some cases has started resulting in vivid protests. Southern and Western Europe hosted more than 70% of these gargantuan volumes last year.
It is no wonder that in certain cities, including Mallorca, Palma and Barcelona protestors playfully doused tourists with water pistols, or even went so far as blocking hotel entrances. Protestors, which in some places amounted to tens of thousands, demanded caps on flights, cruise ship arrivals and short-term rentals.
Proportionately, the scene is not very dissimilar to what we are seeing in Malta.
Lack of vision and long-term planning has allowed the market to spin out of control, largely driven by cheap flights, social‑media influencers, competitive cruise packages, and AI-powered planning tools making booking one's holiday easier than ever.
Obviously, this is all great, as tourism remains a crucial economic pillar in Malta. However, we talked long enough about attracting a better-quality tourist, and it is high time to spring into action.
Not a day passes that we do not hear of a new episode of, how shall we call it, extreme enjoyment by some out-of-control visitors. The videos doing the rounds on social media and other messaging platforms may go viral for their entertainment value, yet the acts in them are often border-line criminal activity, which is an absolute nuisance to residents as well as other visitors alike.
Public urination, indecent acts, violent streets fights, and outright acts of idiocy are no laughing matter, but an issue that needs to be addressed immediately.
Of course, we always had some sort of unsavoury behaviour taking place in entertainment hotspots such as Paceville, and of course since everyone carries a video recorder with them wherever they go, this sort of thing is likely to be recorded for posterity and shared far and wide.
However, the incidence of such behaviour has certainly grown over the past years. I guess, advertising Malta as some sort of endless party island where booze is cheap, control is lax, and everything is allowed, has its downside too. Quality tourism indeed!
It's not only about the inconvenience either. There are more long-term problematic issues at play that are brought about with over tourism. In Spain, talk of a housing crisis has already sparked a serious debate, fuelled by rising housing costs which have driven residents out of cities.
UNESCO has been stark in its warning to Venice's authorities, as it risks being placed on the World Heritage in Danger list due to a combination of over-tourism, and other serious factors.
Locally we don't seem to be taking this seriously, and the strain has started to show in a demotivated Police force, which has now been humiliated to accept help from uniformed Italian personnel. Our boys and girls in blue deserve better.
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On a separate note, I am pleased to note Helena Dalli's appointment as acting president of the Republic. I am sure she will serve Malta's highest office with dignity and grace. Dignity and grace which the Prime Minister has no idea about, since he once again lost the opportunity to be a uniting force in Malta, and ride roughshod over everyone. I wish Dr Dalli the very best.
Alexander Mangion is Deputy Mayor in Attard.