Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1538943
5 gozotoday | FRIDAY • 29 AUGUST 2025 NEWS tourism is the Tourism Association • Introduce specific initia- tives for the preservation and promotion of Gozo's cultural and heritage sites, which could in- clude partnerships with international heritage or- ganisations. • Fast track the amend- ments to the Tourism Act 1999 to reflect the current trends in tourism establishments. • Introduce a tailor-made grant scheme to Gozo- based operators to devel- op, upgrade, and mod- ernise artisan workshops, culinary demos, e-bike heritage routes, and Agri-Tourism. • Amend the summer construction break time directive, proposing that excavation and demoli- tion works only be pro- hibited within a 50-meter radius of any Malta Tour- ism Authority (MTA) li- censed premises, extend- ing this directive across the entirety of Gozo. The Environment • Develop new regional plans and policies specif- ically designed for Gozo to preserve it as an island of villages within a mod- ern world. • Establish a Gozo-specific planning authority, or at minimum, stronger re- gional autonomy within existing frameworks to enforce Gozo-appropri- ate environmental and development policies. • Retain existing incentives on the sale and purchase of properties in Urban Conservation Areas (UCA) where the pur- chaser signs a guarantee to restore the property without subdivision. • Extend incentives to all vernacular and post- war properties, includ- ing UCA, where buyers undertake to preserve the integrity of the prop- erty, respecting and not exceeding the surround- ing traditional village heights. • Introduce a fiscal incen- tive scheme to encour- age the restoration and conversion of existing traditional properties to bring them back to life as residential homes or boutique hotels. • Establish a marine re- serve around the Gozitan coast and ensure its en- forcement, applying the model of the Cirkewwa marine reserve. Promoting the Destination • Create a joint market- ing and incentive fund to attract 10-12 new cruise ship calls per year in Gozo, specialising in winter breaks and longer stays, to market and sell Gozo during the low months. • Expand participation in dedicated sectoral tour- ism fairs to promote des- tination Gozo for sports tourism, weddings, and gastronomy. • Offer financial and tech- nical support to Gozitan accommodation estab- lishments to achieve a recognised sustainability label to reinforce Gozo as an eco-destination. • Assist and incentivise touristic establishments to set up their respective user-friendly, multilin- gual websites, including online payments and di- recting booking patterns towards mobile and tab- let booking devices, while optimising the use of so- cial media influencers and virtual reality tours. • Create, offer, support, and entice new niches like adventure, activity, sports, and walking. Capital • Introduce a tax credit or grant scheme conditional on 12 months of employ- ment in tourism. • Offer a grant for local students who opt to work during the weekends or their annual holidays in Gozitan tourism estab- lishments. • Organise courses target- ing foreign employees to learn the basics of the Maltese and English Lan- guage, as well as the his- tory, culture, and basic legal regulations of the Maltese Islands. • Set up a scheme to as- sist employers and em- ployees in attending a comprehensive list of training courses, cover- ing a wide range of topics tailor-made for Gozitan touristic needs, including the upskilling of staff to address today's demands and technologies. • To entice foreign staff retention, amend the legislation so that once TCN (Third Country National) employees quit their job, they need to re- apply from the beginning through their prospec- tive employer to obtain their work permit afresh. • Introduce National In- surance contribution credits for the winter months to encourage the retention of employees during off-peak months. • Develop the ITS Gozo Campus into a special- ised vocational tourism institution that caters not only for Gozitans but also for Maltese and for- eign students who opt to follow specific courses. • Ensure that the Pub- lic Sector is no longer in competition with the Private Sector for the re- cruitment of employees by offering favourable and unmatchable work- ing conditions. The tour- istic private sector is to be encouraged to introduce flexible working hours, offering favourable con- ditions and incentives for career progression within the tourism sec- tor. • These proposals aim to streamline, sustain, and consolidate the tourism industry on Gozo, safe- guarding the interests of stakeholders and ensur- ing the sector's sustain- ability for the island's social and economic well-being. BON CHARGE announces olympian Neil Agius as global brand ambassador ahead of Gozo 7 BON CHARGE, a leading inno- vator in science-backed wellness technology, has announced a groundbreaking partnership with two-time world-record holder and Olympian Neil Agius as the brand's official global ambassador. The collaboration will be put to the ultimate test during Agi- us' unprecedented 'The Gozo 7' swim challenge—a world-first at- tempt to swim seven laps around the Mediterranean island of Gozo over seven consecutive days from 31 August to 6 September 2025. Holding the world-record for the longest unassisted ocean swim (142.3 km in 60 hours), Agius will rely on BON CHARGE's innova- tive wellness products as part of his recovery toolkit while swim- ming approximately 42 km daily for 15 hours—the equivalent dis- tance of a marathon, but in open water. As an ultra-endurance ath- lete, Neil equips people with his Ocean Mindset tools, designed to help individuals find them- selves and thrive with breathwork, movement, and community: an ethos shared with BON CHARGE. The campaign will celebrate BON CHARGE's commitment to invest towards innovation, har- nessing the power of light, and non-invasive ways people can upgrade their wellness routines at home. Neil Agius said, "The Gozo 7 will be the hardest test of my life. I'm incredibly excited to partner with BON CHARGE, whose sci- ence-backed approach to recovery aligns perfectly with how I train and live. The swim will push me to my absolute limits and having BON CHARGE in my recovery toolkit gives me confidence that I can show up stronger each day." Andy Mant, CEO and Co-Founder of BON CHARGE, said, "As we continue to expand our market footprint as a global authority in wellness innovation, we're building a community of people who embody our values and passion to simplify wellness with science-backed solutions. Neil Agius is a force who exempli- fies what we are capable of achiev- ing, if we believe boldly. We are honoured to welcome Neil into the BON CHARGE world to rein- force our position as a pioneer in wellness and recovery." As BON CHARGE's global ambassador, Neil's upcoming open-water swim challenge will demonstrate the brand's ongo- ing strategy to educate people on simple ways to achieve wellness at home—even on the most de- manding days. During The Gozo 7 swim challenge, Neil and his team of scientists will also closely track and assess how his body and mind respond to extreme stress and recovery, which include how he uses BON CHARGE products to improve his overall wellness. The Gozo 7 will see Neil swim a total of 294km and complete 300,000 strokes using his Ocean Mindset. Global ambassador Neil Agius