this week

The tourists to fry for
When it comes to the tourist industry, we should be careful not to kill the goose that eats the fried eggs, says MIRIAM DUNN

When the move to encourage more five-star tourists to come to Malta first began gathering pace and, consequently, more hotels to accommodate them started mushrooming all over the island, reactions were and have remained varied.

One of the main concerns voiced, especially among the proprietors of these new, shiny and very costly establishments, was the mark the horrendously shabby and inadequate infrastructure would leave on their clients’ perception of the holiday resort. They argued, quite understandably, that their considerable investment was not being matched by a general overhaul on the outside of their hotels, with the result that tourists were paying a lot of money to step out from an expensively furnished foyer into cratered roads. They could then climb on rickety buses jetting out clouds of black smoke and enjoy scenic journeys through the countryside, taking in the views… of plastic bottles and cartons dumped along the edges of fields, or perhaps mattresses and water heaters on a good day.
But enough good scribblings on rubbish have been published, although, it seems to no avail; back to our ailing tourism sector.

In the same vein as the five-star tourist versus the five-star infrastructure argument, much has been made of targeting niche sectors of holidaymakers, with the latest buzzphrase being cultural tourism.

Once again, the parallels have been drawn. Just as owners of five-star hotels would like to see mounds of garbage removed and cracks in pavements repaired, those with culture on their minds are pointing out, quite reasonably, that we really need to turn our attention to our capital city if we want foreign visitors to take any interest in it. They argue, also quite reasonably, that Valletta is a sad, poor cousin to the magnificent Mdina in terms of upkeep and presentation.

So far so good; I don’t think many of us would argue with the shortcomings of much of the island’s infrastructure. And it is likely that we would all press for more transitory measures, at least, to help spruce things up a bit in many localities if long-term measures are going to take time, as they invariably do.

Most of us also believe, I’m sure, that the long-suffering Valletta deserves a good clean-up and more, not just for the cultural tourist’s sake, but because, underneath the pigeon droppings, it is a wonderful city, rich in heritage and history, with a wealth of attractions if these are cared for and promoted better.

But in the meantime and as tourism trends change, we should be wary of ignoring another sector of the tourism market – the proverbial British market.

Those in the know decided that what was once the backbone of the Maltese tourist industry, termed affectionately the ‘egg and chips’ tourists, presumably because of their easily-satisfied dining habits were no longer making their mass exodus from Manchester and Gatwick airports in the same numbers that we used to witness.

And as the tourism industry stretched its feelers out in an upwards direction, we even, perhaps unwittingly, with our verve to attract a ‘better class of tourist’, managed to affront a few of our loyal British holidaymakers along the way.

I remember reading a letter in a newspaper with amusement when one visitor wrote in, undoubtedly bristling with affront, as well as the predictable heat rash, stating: ‘I’m an egg and chips tourist and I’m proud of it’.

But those in the know persisted with their pontificating.

The days when the British market was the mainstay of the Maltese tourism industry are over, we heard and read, as we were fed reports of the damage the recession in the UK did to its citizens’ spending power, three-star hotels closing down in Malta and the need to begin focusing much more on the Continental market.

Let’s explore all markets, by all means. But there are some flaws in this argument. Yes, Britain went through a recession, but it has undoubtedly now come out on the other side. The British people are spending like they never have before, and that includes holidays.

It’s just that fewer of them are coming to Malta. And that’s where we have to stop and do some soul searching.

Ah, but there’s so much competition, we are told. Holidaymakers can go all over the place, and many of them do, especially as exotic locations are becoming more affordable and fashionable.

This is true, but let’s not kid ourselves these are the only reasons our British visitors are dwindling in numbers. It wasn’t until some of my relatives decided to plan a trip here for next month that I realised just how expensive Malta, as a destination, has become.

The amount of money that one week in a three-star one-bedroom self-catering apartment was going to set them back left me absolutely speechless. If it wasn’t for the fact that they were making a trip specifically to visit me, I am in no doubt that they would have taken their money and their vacation elsewhere.

The point we should remember about the three-star tourists is that they might not be visiting us in the droves they used to, but they are still a vital source of income for Malta. And we should also bear in mind, even if we don’t want to admit it, that they are happy with a three-star product.

Why don’t we want to admit it? Because that also means confessing to something else - that Malta is still a three-star resort.

The ‘egg and chips’ tourist will eat the fry-ups and grills, which we have had years of perfecting, off the plastic tables outside our tackily neon-lit cafes and be perfectly happy to do so.

Downmarket, perhaps a little, but meeting a demand? You bet. At least, it was while it was value for money.

We cannot have it both ways. We cannot charge them the earth for that product. That’s why not so many are coming and it’s certainly why very few are coming back.

It is dangerous to write off our ‘egg and chips’ tourists, especially before Malta is a five-star resort and even after that drastic transition is made, which will, surely, take years and is by no means guaranteed to reach fruition.

It doesn’t pay to put all our eggs in one basket. Let’s fry some and serve them with bacon and sausages and keep an important sector of our tourism market happy.