Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1546635
11 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 20 SEPTEMBER 2026 OPINION hotels. But are right tourists? should we discourage younger travellers. All of these markets are valuable. The concern is what hap- pens when supply continues to grow without a corresponding strategic understanding of the type of demand required to sustain that supply. Malta is a small destination. There is a physical limit to how many hotels, apartments, restaurants, roads, beaches and attractions we can con- tinue to add. At some point, growth has to become more intelligent. Four years after completing my research, I now look at the question from a different perspective. Today, we have almost the opposite situation. Demand is stronger than ever. But so is supply. And the tour- ist market is changing. The real question is therefore no longer: Do we have enough tourists to fill the rooms? It is: Do we have enough of the right demand to support the rooms we are continuing to build? Malta has already demon- strated that it can attract more than four million tourists. We need to ensure that tour- ism growth translates into higher value, stronger yields and sustainable profitability, rather than simply more peo- ple passing through our air- port. Malta's tourism industry should not ultimately be meas- ured by how many tourists arrive but by the value they create, the quality of the ex- perience they receive, and the sustainable economic return generated for the country. And for our 4- and 5-star ho- tels, the question is perhaps the most important one of all: Are we competing to fill rooms, or are we competing to create value? From individual talent to collective strength Riccarda Darmanin Secretary GWU Professionals, Finance and Services Section and Maltese Producers Association A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to ex- pose the harsh realities behind the glossy façade of Malta's television industry. The response was overwhelmingly positive, striking a chord with workers tired of short career spans, dismal pay, and basic indignities on set. Nonetheless, people continue to speak out—frequently, passionately, and unfor- tunately anonymously—behind the safety screens of social media. It is easy to vent on Facebook, but the results are severely limit- ed. Ranting may feel cathartic, yet it changes nothing about the structural inequities that allow exploitation to thrive. Algorithms re- ward outrage, but they do not draft contracts, negotiate minimum wages, or establish base- line workplace protections. Moreover, relying solely on personal chan- nels actively undermines the power of col- lective organisations. Organisations can only achieve real change when they truly represent their members. Individualism creates a cha- otic atmosphere of disagreement, fragmented voices that can easily be side lined, whereas true leverage requires a unified front. Social media platforms are engineered to monetise outrage and feed the ego, offering the illusion of impact without the friction of actual organising. A viral post or a flurry of agreement creates a quick dopamine hit that feels like a victory but safely confines dissent to the digital realm where it poses no threat to the status quo. This acts as a pressure valve, dissipating the collective energy needed for structural reform before it can be channelled into tangible pressure. In this landscape, hyper-individualism functions as the primary enemy of collective bargaining and sectoral development. When workers act as isolated operators protecting only their immediate standing, they inadvert- ently reinforce the severe power imbalances of the industry. Employers can easily man- age, isolate, or dismiss scattered, competing voices. Sustainable sectoral development and genuine bargaining power depend entirely on solidarity, shared risk, and a unified platform. True structural change when fragmented shouting matches are replaced with disci- plined, organised representation. This individualistic venting brings to mind an observation musician and producer Brian Eno made during his 2015 lecture, where he drew a distinction between 'genius' and 'sce- nius'. While genius is the brilliance of vision of the isolated individual, scenius represents the collective intelligence of a thriving com- munity. As Eno noted, great ideas and true breakthroughs may be articulated by indi- viduals, but they are almost always gener- ated by communities. Culture, innovation, and change do not happen in a vacuum, nor do they happen through disconnected, solo voices shouting into the void. Right now, Malta's television workers are trying to fight systemic industry problems as isolated 'geniuses' of grievance. But change requires scenius. It requires collective intel- ligence, shared purpose, and organised soli- darity. They cannot afford to remain fragmented. The €36.5 million local TV sector generates substantial economic value, but without a unified front, that wealth will continue to by- pass the people who actually make the con- tent. Producers and broadcasters hold the cards precisely because the workforce is di- vided. It is time to move from anonymous com- plaining to organised action. If they want fair compensation, safe working conditions, and an end to the culture of working merely for "exposure", they must join forces. This is a direct call to action for everyone working in television in Malta to stop vent- ing alone. Step up and join structured rep- resentation. Get involved! Individual voices can be ignored or silenced; a collective workforce cannot. Real power is born from community. You can build your scenius and overhaul your industry together. Individual voices can be ignored or silenced; a collective workforce cannot. Real power is born from community. You can build your scenius and overhaul your industry together