Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1440009
9 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 2 JANUARY 2022 INTERVIEW from various quarters, is that: yes, we are going to face another large spike, like the one we are experiencing now… but also, that the Omicron variant itself is getting 'weaker', so to speak. It is more conta- gious; but its effects are less severe. From this perspective, the important indices now are hospitalisations, much more than the rate of transmission. And statistics indicate that the percentage of cases needing emergency treatment is far lower today, than it was last year. Even so, however: we still have to re- main cautious…. because even a small percentage of a very large number, can still be enough to overwhelm our health services. But that's precisely the point I was making before: our recent experience shows us that we CAN successfully keep the economy going, whilst also contain- ing – or at least, managing – the epidem- ic. Admittedly, things are looking very tight, now. The next few weeks are going to be critical. But if we succeed in riding the crisis through, for the next couple of months… then yes, we could be looking at a bounce-back, some time around March. It will be difficult; because January, Feb- ruary and March are generally the slow- est period, even at the best of times… But once the present spike subsides, and numbers start stabilising again… we will no doubt be looking at a sudden explo- sion in global demand for travel again. For let's face it: the reality is that there will always be a demand for travel, no matter what. Our own experience proves this: tourists kept coming to Malta, in their usual numbers, throughout last summer… even at the height of the global Covid pandemic. There is no reason to suppose that they won't do that again, the moment travel restrictions are lifted. If anything, it is on- ly natural to expect that the demand will be even higher, after so many months of isolation and anxiety… But that assumes that the present spike will indeed subside sooner, rather than later. What would happen, however, if the numbers keep rising, and govern- ment is forced to introduce more dra- conian measures (of the kind that many people, rightly or wrongly, are currently demanding)? I certainly do not think we should go for more draconian measures, at this stage. And people who are calling for a 'lock- down', should really pause and look at what's happening in the rest of Europe. In the UK, for instance, the statistics for De- cember indicate a sharp increase in new cases in England – where the restrictions are stricter – but a decline in Wales, Scot- land and Northern Ireland… all of which have the same sort of regulations that we do; but no lockdowns. All the same, however, I don't think we should be too liberal about it, either. After all, we have lived through scaremonger- ing, blind optimism and times of carefree attitudes, too. But we only got it right by having appropriate restrictions in place - resulting in four very good months for tourism, from a standing start in July; and ending with a full recovery in clear sight… until Omicron disrupted the road ahead. So I think we should stick with the same, very cautious approach we are taking right now. As for when, or whether, the spike will subside… I can't, of course, speak from any medical expertise: but we are still learning about this latest mutation; and from what I understand, indications are that although the figures will be alarm- ing, severe illness and casualties won't be in proportion to previous Covid variants; and we will see some respite after it peaks. Another point to bear in mind is that, af- ter almost two years of living through the pandemic, day by day… people are now much more aware of how to deal with Covid. That includes people in the hos- pitality/leisure sector. So when we talk about the possibility of a bounce-back for the leisure industry… it will not be a sim- ple return to how things were before. The entire sector has, in fact, already been forced to adapt to a whole new dy- namic; and again, it wasn't easy… because the hospitality industry thrives on all the things that Omicron 'likes' the most. Let's face it: until recently, the measure of a 'good party' was whether people ended up dancing together, getting intimate to- gether; holding each other; hugging each other, etc. All that has already gone: we have moved from 'crowd events' and 'mass-parties', to smaller, more restricted seating arrange- ments: which create a different sense of intimacy – more of a 'lounge' setting, where people can have a conversation without contact… and we have even managed to stage successful live musical events, with limited seating and spacing restrictions. This is another reason why I am hope- ful that we will see a bigger comeback for tourism in 2022. A lot of the investment has already been done: not just to adapt to the new circumstances, but also to introduce new, safer forms of entertain- ment. Many of the new investments and refurbishments will be completed during 2022; and some of the biggest are coming in 2023. So Malta is already geared up for the challenge. The industry is keeping faith, in itself and in the country… Nonetheless, there have been mixed messages from the tourism sector. At the beginning of the crisis, the pandem- ic itself was dubbed 'Project Fear': and earlier this year, you yourself argued against the 'vaccinated-only' approach now being taken by government. What made you change your mind since then? That was something I lobbied against, at the time. My argument was that, if we were going to accept only fully-vaccinat- ed people… as a tourist destination, we would end up becoming an 'old people's home'. Because at that stage, the situa- tion in all our target European countries, was that that only the 65+ age-bracket was fully vaccinated. In our mainstream market, however, the tourists we usually attract are aged around 30- 50. So I insisted with the authorities, to al- low people to come with only a PCR test certificate. For common sense would tell you – or so I thought, anyway – that if you had passed a PCR test, the chances that you'd be carrying COVID would be very low. But it turns out that I was totally wrong. And the doctors were right. Because what happened was that a lot of those people who came here with PCR certificates, actually were contaminated… with the symptoms coming out later. We have, in fact, learnt that you cannot fool around with science. Science always wins, in the end. But what science is telling us now is that: it can be done, at the end of the day. It is possible to find a way to live quite com- fortably - and keep the economy ticking over - if we all simply stick to the basics: by which I mean that everyone gets their booster jab; that we continue practising social distancing; wearing masks, and so on. And it can be done without the need for any lockdowns, or other more draconian measures… PHOTO: JAMES BIANCHI / MALTATODAY