This week the news was focused on the utter misbehaviour, lack of ethics and criminality of the visitors and guests to these islands who call  themselves tourists.  It seems the authorities and government are oblivious to this utter discgraceful management of tourism.  The emphasis is still on the quantity and not the quality.

Some of you may well ask why I have not contributed to this article since April 2025; the answer is quite simple - for the last four months I have been working on the project to develop Community Based Tours (leading to Community Based Tourism called Meet the Locals).  But now I felt I had to make this point clear - we must manage a sustainable and responsible quality tourism for these islands, not a mass industry that attracts hooligans, petty criminals, and vandals! So where did we go wrong in the last years?

Tourism is not an industry that depends on the quantitative turnout of people, tourists; it is not just a matter of taking their money and only giving a very weak sense of value for money or value experience, it certainly is not about "hosting" (I use this term with a good dose of sarcasm) the so-called tourists in accommodation that makes a Turkish prison look like the Hilton.  Tourism is about offering hospitality and service without any flaw or sense of amateurism or even without any care.  This is exactly what is happening today in these islands when it comes to tourism.  We have no idea about integrated planning, about attracting the tourist who wants to be here, about interacting between the host and the visitor.  There is no sense of civic responsibility either from the tourist, nor from the businesses  and service provider and , naturally, no civic sense of responsibility from the host - the result : chaos, sub standard services and experiences for the real tourist and frustration, stress and tension that can easily lead to road rage and tempers flaring!

I will try once more to keep up these tourism articles to show how tourism can be managed by us all in a proper and professional manner.  Starting with this week, I will give my six steps to manage tourism professionally instead of the haphazard way things are done today, these include:

1.      Let us look again at tourism today - rethink the method for managing this socio cultural activity, redeveloping the activity and restoring a sustainable and quality activity where all stakeholders (including the community) can be guaranteed a decent quality of life.

2.      The carrying capacity for the localities, regions, sites and sensitive areas must be prepared and responsible action taken accordingly.

3.      Tourism must be managed by people who are committed , qualified and can be trusted .  This is not an activity that can provide easy income and a quality life for the chosen few. It is a people's activity - our activity.

4.      The Global Code of Ethics published by the UNWTO in 1997 must be available freely and easily for all tourists at the airport, hotels, accommodation, tour organizers, guides and on all national and private tourist websites. Any infringement of these twelves articles must be taken seriously with heavy fines, imprisonment and banning from visiting again.

5.      There need to be consistent workshops, CPD courses and seminars for all stakeholders (including members of the public) to discuss improvements to a sustainable and responsible tourism activity.

6.      Finally, a long term, integrated tourism plan and policy must be prepared and agreed by all politicians, businesses, the local community and authorities.  It must form the basis for a commitment, trust and synergy for all.

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 Chair of the Institute for Hospitality Mediterranean.  His main area of research is community-based tourism and local tourism planning using the integrated approach.