Bursting the English language bubble

Much is being said about the current state of the tourism industry: statistics, lamentations, negative criticism, finger pointing, calls for tough action and also possible solutions.

English Language Teaching (ELT) seems to be a favourite and recurring solution on the pretext that niche marketing brings about the desired change. Recently, Moody's joined the chorus by citing ELT as a sector within special interest travel that should be promoted to help the country out of its economic and financial ailments.

The Federation of English Language Teaching Organisations Malta (Feltom) is all for the sustainable growth of the ELT niche market. Its policies and actions are consistently directed at the raising of quality standards within the sector, a policy that has manifestly paid dividends. It is a policy of reliability that is consonant with ELT market forces.

Feltom is gravely concerned at the uneducated approach being adopted and promoted on a number of fronts that is bound to bring the ELT tourism sector into the same predicament as mainstream tourism insofar as this is the fruit of the seeds that were sown and nurtured in the past.

The profiles of both the demand and the supply sides of the ELT industry have changed drastically over the last few years. However, it is feared that these have not changed in tandem, thereby prejudicing the sustainable growth of the sector.

The traditional west European market is well on the path to maturity in its needs for the classic ELT programme. New markets must therefore be opened for the industry as we know it, to survive.

Feltom has embarked on a massive worldwide promotion of Malta as a reliable ELT destination of value and, together with its member schools, invests heavily to enter into the new world markets of identified potential students. In a few cases, the Malta Tourism Authority supports Feltom's initiatives through its promotional interventions, such as in the Russian Federation, the People's Republic of China and in Japan.

However, despite all the pros, cons, promotional efforts, investments, words and projections, Feltom is deeply disturbed at the realities that prospective students from the new world markets face in their efforts to study in Malta. Although MTA, as the channel of the Ministry of Tourism, promotes Malta as an ELT destination in these countries, even their student nationals still face an insurmountable saga to obtain an entry visa where required, or a simple visa extension. This state of affairs applies to numerous other countries and regrettably thwarts all promotional efforts into images of unreliability.

Feltom acknowledges the need to ensure national security and the financial sustainability of the applicant and has on many occasions held cordial talks with the authorities concerned that led to agreeable procedures and solutions.

Therefore, the different current state of affairs, whereby the vast majority of applicants are either not granted a visa or are subjected to pleas, intercessions or hassles, is not only inexplicable but is also a serious threat to Malta as a hospitable country that promotes tourism as its main industry.

Feltom is aware of unpleasant comments and statements of apprehension uttered in this regard and calls for an immediate stop to increasing the damage. Is it possible that, while the Ministry for Tourism invests considerably in promoting Malta overseas, the Ministry for Justice and Home Affairs seems not to appreciate enough these efforts and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs holds a possibly different view?

Feltom believes it to be to everyone's advantage to adopt a common clear approach to the matter and solicits action now when the matter is relatively contained, rather than when the bubble bursts. Let us not repeat the tragic scenario.

Mr Stivala is president, Federation of English Language Teaching Organisations.