Turning Malta into ‘theatre’ for tourists for profit risks loss of quality of life

The high demands of the tourism industry may slowly turn the Maltese islands into “a theatre of the nation’s folklore, tradition, and history”, University of Malta expert in tourism Dr Marie Avellino has told graduands. 

In an oration to new graduates, Avellino – from the Institute for Tourism, Travel and Culture - complained of over-commoditisation of Malta’s tourism product, saying that efforts to restrict commercial activity permits in sensitive zones were being perceived “as attempts to restrict or control enterprise”. 

“Re-appropriation of heritage, culture, intangible as well as intangible assets with the explicit aim of maximising profits at the expense of losing values, identity and quality of life is to be safeguarded especially by the persons who have the knowledge and education to do so.  

“I sincerely hope that this is a role which you, our graduates will take on with responsibility and with pride. You must be our nation’s conscience and we are sure you will succeed as we have given you the skills and knowledge to do so.” 

Between January and September of 2018 Malta received over 2 million visitors, compared to the 1.5 million of 2016 and 1.8 million of 2017. There are strong indicators that 2018 will surpass all other previous years’ international arrivals which will also translate into more foreign investment, more jobs, but also more costs for society and negative impacts such as more traffic, and higher rents. 

Avellino said that although aware that tourists were in search of an authentic experience, the Maltese tourism industry also tends to ‘manufacture representation’ of Maltese identity.  

“The commonplace ‘reproduction’ or ‘recreation’ of a fabricated landscape incites feelings of familiarity, or exoticism, friendliness or contempt, authenticity or synthetic, with the main aim of attracting visitors. This could also lead to the host community believing and moulding their way of life, to fit an image that has been created purely as a marketing narrative,” she said. 

But she warned that such an artificial or unconscious reproduction of a ‘native society’ for the sake of accessing EU funds or even serving a poiltical agenda, “sends out conflicting messages of what the visitor and local believes is ‘authentic’ Maltese Identity. Identity is closely aligned to heritage and culture as they are considered as the basic tenets on which national identity is constructed.” 

Avellino said this posed an important question for the Maltese, because the image they provided to tourists was also a manifestation of the identity they want to project. “So the question here is this – who has the right to decide what and how ones cultural heritage is transmitted, manifested and manipulated?”