Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1143967
18.07.19 11 overlook this - they don't appreciate that working with a branded hotel al- lows them to climb up the ladder and opens the door for international expo- sure. It's different from working with a restaurant, for instance, where there is not much room for development. The accommodation sector locally - but also internationally - is facing a challenge from alternative accommodation sources, such as apartments offered on Airbnb. Which is the best way to counter this competition from such non- traditional sources? Market trends are changing, that is true. But Airbnb does not have a major effect on us, firstly because our target market are customers looking for a spa experience, and secondly because of the self-service residence which we offer, which are able to offer an alternative Airbnb apartments. Moreover, the Baldacchino Group also operates five holiday villas in Mellieha and Zurrieq which further counter Air- bnb. The Gozo tunnel has been one of the most topical issues of the past months. As someone who operates a major Gozo business, what are your views on the matter? Do you think that a permanent link with Malta will help Gozo, or will the negatives outweigh the positives? I definitely believe that we need to have a permanent link - be it a tunnel, or something else. ere needs to be a way of driving directly from Malta to Gozo and vice verse. e Gozo Chan- nel service has drastically improved, es- pecially with the recent addition of the fourth ferry. . Another aspect here, I think, is the need to cater for certain Gozo Channel customers who want a quiet area on the ship where they can stay during the trip. At the moment, such facilities, which are desirable for people travelling for business or higher-spending tourists, for instance, are not available. To attract higher-spending clients, such facilities need to be in place. Furthermore, another issue is the need to queue for the ferry. While lo- cals have gotten use to this, someone coming from a Scandinavian country, for instance, might not look forward to queuing in summer temperatures. A permanent link would solve this prob- lem. But in the interim, something has to be done to make the Gozo Channel ferry more comfortable for these kinds of travellers. Gozitans, I think, are apprehensive about the tunnel because they fear it might transform Gozo into another Malta. But, on the other hand, a tun- nel would greatly help with travel time. Gozitans currently have to wake up at ungodly hours to arrive for work or uni- versity in Malta on time. Do you feel Gozo might eventually suffer from an element of "over- tourism", where so many tourists come that they end up harming the actual touristic product and lowering the quality of life for locals? Although I agree with a permanent link, I think we need to be very careful to maintain Gozo's character and not turn it into a commercial and construc- tion jungle, like Malta. I don't believe Gozo should be completely preserved as is. Certain improvements can be put in place, while still keeping the island's character. We need to go in the direc- tion of the beautification of Gozo. And construction should not take place in certain places which are unspoiled. An unspoiled area should be kept as it is, while flats, for instance, should be built in areas where there are already simi- lar buildings in place. If the need aris- es for more space, this should be done through planning, not by scattering de- velopment here and there without any plan. Gozo should be marketed as a separate entity, and it should target retreat tour- ism. Such tourists are generally more mindful and discerning, and usually in their mid-30s to early 60s, with a higher spend per capita. ey aren't out to di- lute the resources of the island. Malta's love for Gozo always stemmed from the fact that it was considered a retreat. All we have to do is extend this concept to the world, and nothing major needs to be changed. Gozo already has a number of retreats and cultural activities which cater for this. Let's look at Malta as the city, and Gozo as the green retreat. When it comes to the government's investment in Gozo, and measures to address the island's "double insularity", do you think enough is being done to encourage Gozitans to keep living and working in Gozo? Better is always possible. Any invest- ment in Gozo, has always made a sig- nificant and positive impact, not just for the local community, but also for all the visitors, Maltese and International that seek refuge in the island's tranquility. is island jewel deserves more of our continous and utmost care. When it comes to encouraging Gozitans to work in Gozo, I think tax incentives can be a useful option. There has been a lot of discussion about the so-called "gender pay gap" in Europe and Malta, and about the relative lack of women in decision making positions locally. As a woman occupying an important role, do you feel there are challenges locally for women who want to grow professionally? Our father never ever made his daugh- ters feel like we were anything less be- cause we were women. Our family group's management is predominantly female, consisting of three women and two men. Right from the start, our fa- ther involved us in the business, and made no distinction between us and his sons. He embraced this philosophy and instilled it in us since we were young. We never felt we were any less from an- yone just because of our gender. As a group, we always ensured equal opportunities for women, and always had female head of departments and general managers. We always treated men and women employees equally when it comes to salaries. Maybe it's my dad's influence which set the stage for the way we operate in this regard… but, looking back, even when my dad was younger, it was his sister who took care of his accounts, and it was my mother who pushed him to speak to the Kem- pinski group to open a hotel in Gozo. Women were quite strong in my father's family. is said, I do believe the mentali- ty when it comes to gender equality has improved in Malta. e one thing I think still keeps women back in the need for childcare, and more needs to be done here, including by providing facilities for women to bring their chil- dren to work when they need to, such as after school. INTERVIEW daughter making it happen We need to be very careful to maintain Gozo's character and not turn it into a commercial and construction jungle, like Malta