Malta’s Tourism Strategy for the years 2021 – 2030 is being published following a drafting and consultation phase during a time which has been profoundly impacted by the chaos, turmoil and uncertainty which the global COVID-19 pandemic has wrought on the world’s economies in general and tourism activity in particular. This strategy is built around the three principles of Recover, Rethink and Revitalise.
The publication of this Tourism Strategy comes at an important juncture of Malta’s economic development and the Maltese Tourism Industry’s evolution. It comes at a point in time where sustainable approaches to doing business, the need to balance economic growth with social and environmental wellbeing, the recognition of climate change impacts and the need to shift to net zero emissions rub shoulders with the need to recover tourism activity, the multiple challenges faced by the industry in terms of receptive capacity, human resource availability, the quest for a higher quality offer, the investment and maintenance needs of the Tourism Product and the competitive pressures of a globalised industry.
This is a Tourism Strategy in which Recovery is conditioned by the dual principles of Rethinking and Revitalising. Thus, it is not merely a plan to return to the tourism activity prevailing pre-COVID-19 but one in which we strive to work towards a Tourism Industry which is stronger, more competitive and better equipped to handle the challenges of the next decade.
A Tourism Strategy such as this will not succeed if it is to be executed and implemented by Government alone. It is a Strategy for the entire Tourism Industry and all the ancillary sectors related to tourism. It will only prove successful if it attracts the widespread stakeholder acceptance that is necessary for it to succeed.
This is a Plan in which each individual Strategy is defined by a clear Rationale, Objective, Goals and Actions to ensure that deliverables do not remain nebulous but measurable and benchmarkable. It is by far the most ambitious document of its type produced for the Maltese Tourism Industry to date.
Government has shown continuous belief and commitment towards the Maltese Tourism Industry and this document provides further proof of the importance attached to this major sector of economic activity by setting the steps for its revitalisation and future-proofing for the rest of the decade. In this way, we can ensure that Tourism continues to contribute to a higher quality of life for Malta’s inhabitants in the years to come.
