Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1530938
6 gozotoday | FRIDAY • 27 DECEMBER 2024 LOOKING BACK AT 2024 Excerpts from interviews and opinion articles from 2024 'Overdevelopment on Gozo is jeopardising the core of the island's tourism value' 'Erroneous planning policies have not safeguarded the environment around us' With the Gozo Rural Airfield, we can attract industries related to the aviation sector JOE MUSCAT Chief Executive Officer of the Gozo Tourism Association DANIEL BORG Chief Executive Officer at the Gozo Business Chamber SIMONA REFALO Xewkija mayor What, in your opinion, is Gozo's biggest selling point when it comes to attracting tourism to the island? It is the fact that Gozo is different from Malta and al- so from neighbouring island destinations that is the most important unique selling proposition of the Island. Fur- thermore I believe that Gozo is still offering an authentic experience to the visitors. Gozo offers a wide spectrum of heritage, cultural and tourist sites. But what does Gozo offer that Malta lacks? Gozo is small and small is beautiful. These attributes are demonstrated clearly by foreign tourists on holiday in Gozo when they confirm year on year through MTA surveys that Gozo is peaceful, beautiful, relaxing, warm, welcoming and hospitable. Other than the foreign visitors, Gozo also experiences serious interest from Maltese visitors. How important is this? The contribution of the domestic market towards the Gozitan touristic sector is very relevant and essential for the sustainability of the island's tourism establishments. This influx of domestic tourists helps to mitigate gaps in the Gozitan accommodation especially during the winter months. In terms of tourism, what do you think should be Gozo's priority in the next 5 years? Tourism on Gozo is at a cross roads. While all local pol- icies and strategies of both the Malta Tourism Authority and the Gozo Regional Development Authority are point- ing and directing towards a distinct destination focusing on particular niche markets based on the island's unique selling propositions, yet the tourism sector is very much concerned that the present overdevelopment on Gozo is jeopardizing and lambasting the core of the island's tour- ism value. The Gozo Tourism Association believes that whilst encouraging investment in sustainable infrastruc- tural projects and developments that add more value to the product of Gozo, careful attention should be given in order not to commit some of the mistakes experienced in the past on the mainland, and to a lesser extent on Gozo itself. We have to stop the uglification of Gozo. Where do you stand on the need - or lack of - for (a) an airfield in Gozo and (b) for an underwater tunnel linking Gozo to Malta? Why? The Gozo Tourism Association is eagerly looking for- ward to the issuance of the Planning Authority permit so that works on the rural airfield at Ta' Lambert may start. The realisation of an airfield in Gozo will close the missing link that the tourism sector has been yearning for. The tunnel is another elephant in the room. At this mo- ment in time it is pertinent to ask….does Gozo lack con- nectivity with Malta? With the introduction of the fourth ferry, and a fast ferry service, the sea connectivity has in- creased and improved considerably. What are the challenges businesses in Gozo face? From the Gozo Business Sentiment which was pub- lished last June, the biggest challenges faced by busi- nesses in Gozo are the lack of suitable employees to man their operations, and the relevant cost pressures deriving both from the developing international sce- nario and Gozo's double insularity. Today a large number of enterprises situated in Gozo compete on a national level. Consequently, despite facing increased costs when compared to their Maltese counterparts they have to remain competitive. This means that Gozitan based enterprises have to be much more ef- ficient and cost conscious in order to retain a healthy profit margin while remaining competitive on a na- tional level. How relevant is Europe to a small Island like Gozo? In the case of islands, many a times at an EU level what are considered as disadvantaged, are those is- lands which are found in the outer most part of the European Union. Islands such as Gozo or the Greek islands, which are not found in the outermost part of the European Union, but which are still peripheral be- cause of their geographical conditions, fall by the way- side. It is therefore important for islands such as Gozo to have a strong voice at an EU level. Is enough being done to attract business investment to Gozo? What can be done? We already have a situation where all the incentives provided have a higher threshold for Gozo-based en- terprises. However, while I believe this is important and needs to be retained, we need to move a further step ahead in that we need to have a regional econom- ic policy for Gozo. We have seen a step in the right direction with Gozo's Regional Development Strategy. Now we need to see that this strategy translates itself into concrete actions and policies. However, we cannot remain only at the economic level. Gozo will be an attractive busi- ness destination if it also offers a good quality of life. Local and foreign tourism have been crucial for Gozo. Should the island simply rely on tourism or can it develop other business sectors? How? The island is very much dependent on traditional sectors such as tourism, and construction. As regards the latter one can see how when compared to the main island the regional gross value added is significantly larger, when compared to the same in the main island of Malta. In the past during times of international crises Gozo-based enterprises seemed resilient to external shocks. The Gozo Business Sentiment shows that this picture has changed. Consequently, the economy needs to be diversified into new sectors in order to en- sure a stable outlook for the future. As mayor of your locality, what is the biggest concern you have? As the mayor of Xewkija, one of my biggest concerns revolve around balancing modernisation with preserv- ing the village's rich cultural and historical heritage. I do understand that every country must modernise, but I also believe that we need to strike a balance between development and preserving our unique cultural iden- tity. Besides the tourism sector, is enough being done to attract business to Gozo? Are there any business sectors you wish to see developed in your locality? GRDA's vision for Gozo states that new sustainable economies need to be attracted to the island. Barts Medical School is a success story and I firmly believe that the island can build on this success and attract another highly regarded educational institution. Besides, even it poses a huge challenge due to the quaint lifestyle Gozo is associated with, business re- lated to the gaming industry can be attracted to the island, especially when it comes to software develop- ment. Over the past years, the financial sector on the is- land grew rapidly. I still believe that there is room for expansion but again, today's companies want moder premises which may pose a challenge on the built en- vironment of the island. With the redevelopment of the Gozo Rural Airfield, I believe that we can attract industries related to the aviation sector. We should also carefully explore the blue economy, which unfortunately, even though we are surrounded by the sea, we are not exploiting this rich natural resource. How does tourism help or hinder your locality? Tourism has its positive and less attractive aspects. Our biggest concern is the strain it has on our infra- structure given that certain roads can't take the load, especially at peak time. On the other hand, tourism boosts the local businesses especially those businesses operating around our vibrant square. How do you wish to see your locality develop? I look forward to a sustainable development not only where it comes to the built environment but al- so when it concerns all our voluntary organisations, which I consider as the beating heart of our communi- ty. Through our VOs, we keep our village alive. Over the next five years, what should be the priority for Gozo in general, and your locality in particular? Over the past decade, Gozo has seen a notable in- crease in economic activity, leading to a significant rise in employment levels. More efforts are needed to further promote job creation and expand opportuni- ties in Gozo.