Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1380662
Josianne Cutajar 16 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 6 JUNE 2021 OPINION Josianne Cutajar is a Labour MEP and member of the TRAN committee and EP Tourism Taskforce THE tourism and hospitality sectors were the most affected during the covid-19 pandemic. Business communities econom- ically dependent on tourism came to a standstill, while re- strictions and lockdowns were put into place. This in turn led to calls from a number of experts and commen- tators who have pushed forward the economic diversification mantra, stating that if we diversi- fy our economy, we will be more resilient to external shocks. This reasoning has its merits. Yet, di- versification alone will not lead to sustainability. If we look towards the Mediterranean, we will come to the conclusion that tourism is one of the regional econom- ic bedrocks. In Malta, tourism is one of the top five economic contributors, with Gozo being somewhat synonymous with the touristic sector. It is for this reason, therefore, that apart from diversifying our economy, I also believe that we should be future-proofing our tourism industry. In this regard, future-proofing tourism means putting workers, businesses and communities at the centre of a support system, a support system that is rooted in EU funding and mechanisms, as well as national support mechanisms. Such sys- tems should support small and medium enterprises and also embed the environmental and digital transition that needs to be done. SMEs need to be endowed with the necessary skills that al- low them not just to survive, but also to flourish and thrive. How do we arrive at this, how- ever? Firstly, in the immediate short-term the COVID certifi- cates need to be implemented within the EU as a whole – by all Member States – as soon as pos- sible and then also scaled up to- wards third countries This cer- tificate will offer peace of mind to travellers, businesses and communities alike, and although this is only something related to the current pandemic, I'm more than sure that such an initiative will give us the necessary breath- ing space that will come in handy in pushing through. Short term measures however are not the sole solution. And that is why I am calling for the development of innovation hubs for tourism at a regional level. The idea behind such innova- tion hubs is both simple, and effective, with the said hubs helping all actors develop appro- priate business models, rooted in the local ecosystem. Each tai- lor-made business model would then be able to be applied and adapted to different scenarios. And in this way, we'll be seeing that businesses in "volatile sec- tors" have not just a Plan A, but a Plan A, B, and if possible even a Plan C. In the coming months, we would also do well to look at new trends; digital and sustainable trends, that are also being driv- en by a change in consumer be- haviour. Whereas in the past we used to speak only about sustain- able tourism, nowadays we're speaking about regenerative tourism, and this is an area that we would do well to penetrate further. Whereas sustainable tourism is built around reducing the strains on local ecosystems, regenerative tourism focuses on positive improvements on the ecosystem as a result of tour- ism. It is my belief that Malta and Gozo both have the poten- tial to use regenerative tourism to improve themselves: socially, economically, but also and envi- ronmentally. Malta's long term Tourism "Recover, Rethink, Re- vitalise" Strategy is an important step in the right direction, also acknowledging the importance of a specific plan for Gozo. Yet the public sector cannot do this alone. Industry is a primary driver of the sector and therefore also needs to shift its focus from easy short-term gains to long- term flourishment. With the ad- equate support and vision, there needs to be quality investment that makes the sector more re- silient, benefitting the touristic and local ecosystem as a whole. The only way we can safe- proof and future-proof tourism is by working together and coor- dinating a holistic recovery and regenerative plan. Let us not lose a golden opportunity to build back better, in a more regenera- tive and resilient way. www.josiannecutajar.com www.socialistsanddemocrates.eu Regenerative tourism Future-proofing tourism means putting workers, businesses and communities at the centre of a support system, a support system that is rooted in EU funding and mechanisms, as well as national support mechanisms