Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/390250
maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 1 OCTOBER 2014 17 Events World Tourism Day in line with GRTU's Budget proposals THIS year's World Tourism Day seeks to celebrate the theme of Tour- ism and Community Development. This theme focuses on the ability of tourism to empower people and provide them with skills to achieve change in their local communities. In its 2015 Budget proposals GRTU is calling for the generation of in- creased economic activity in our localities. With our country's small size it makes all the more sense to maximise our space potential and build on the concept of commu- nity tourism. Alternative forms of accommodation should be encour- aged and incentivised. The popularity of staying in bou- tique hotels, small guesthouses, hostels and even host families has soared drastically in recent years and Malta should be able to cater for such a demand. It is still tourism of high quality and value added but whose priority is the authenticity of the experience. There is in fact in- deed a demand by tourists to experi- ence countries away from the tradi- tionally tourist concentrated areas. The value added in the utilization of available resources that could easily materialise with the right incentives. The ripple effect this would have on our economy as a whole could be remarkable. Cafés, restaurants and retailers will benefit if tourists accommodation spreads from the traditional tourists areas to the localities. The package of in- centives should focus on facilitating access to finance, which includes grants, tax credits and advanta- geous loans. Licensing and stand- ards should also reflect this shift. This year's World Tourism Day theme will highlight the potential of tourism to promote opportunities for communities around the world, as well as the role that community engagement has in advancing sus- tainable tourism development. World Tourism Day is celebrated every year on the 27 September. It is a global celebration that highlights tourism's social, cultural, political and economic value. Concert "Tama' u Kuragg" in aid of Hospice Malta on the 5 October THE philarmonic Society La Vinci- trice of Senglea under the direction of Maestro Brian Cassar will be giv- ing a concert of light music with the collaboration of the Valletta Cruise Port at the Valletta Waterfront on Sunday 5th October from 12.30pm to 2.00 pm We invite you and your families and friends to join us and enjoy an afternoon with a difference. All donations collected will be going to Hospice to continue giving palliative care to over 900 patients suffering from cancer and other ter- minal illnesses. Hospice supports their famlies who need our services during this difficult time. For further queries kindly con- tact us on 21440085, email fr@hos- picemalta.org or follow our website www.hospicemalta.org HSBC Malta Foundation supports President's visit to UK hospitals HSBC Malta Foundation has re- iterated its commitment to the community by making another donation of €7,500 to the Malta Community Chest Fund (MCCF) to assist children needing medical treatment abroad. The President of Malta Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, Chairperson of MCCF, will be visiting these Maltese children and the families supporting them in the UK later this year. The cheque was handed over to President Preca during a visit at the presidency by HSBC Malta Foundation Chairperson Cather- ine Gonzi (second right), Deputy Chairperson Sarah Watkinson (second left), and HSBC Bank Malta Head of Corporate Sustain- ability Josef Camilleri (left). Also seen in the picture is Head of Sec- retariat at the Office of the Presi- dent Carmel Briffa. "The HSBC Malta Foundation's donation strengthens the mission of Malta Community Chest Fund as it strives to improve the lives of those aff licted by sickness," said Ms Gonzi.