The Gozo Tourism Aassociation on Friday launched a set of proposals that aim to strike a balance between establishing COVID-19 mitigating measures and restarting the sector’s vital economic contributions.

The proposals focus on connectivity between Malta and Gozo, financial measures to sustain the economy and the island’s infrastructure in terms of what it offers as well as how it is marketed and who is trained to provide a better overall tourism product.

The main proposals include:

• a fast ferry system that directly connects Mġarr to Valletta,
• extending COVID-19 wage supplements for the tourism sector,
• schemes to assist MTA-licensed establishments,
• the replacement of the attractions of the usual ‘cultural’ calendar with nature and activity-based alternatives, such as sports complexes, and
• several schemes related to the improvement of the tourism workforce’s capacity to serve.

The association said it is intent on the provision of “medium to long-term interventions which should assist the sector’s recovery once the pandemic is over”.

Other proposals include fiscal incentives such as extending reduced ferry rates from Monday to Thursday as well as for weekends during November to March, reducing VAT rates, relaunching the vouchers scheme and waiving licence fees for already recognised operators.

[attach id=925885 size="large" align="left" type="image"]Iconic Gozitan streets. Source: VisitMalta page[/attach]

Additionally, the organisation spoke of the need for “necessary infrastructural investment” such as the re-introduction of the helicopter airlink, the building of cruise ship berthing buoys off Xlendi Bay and Mġarr harbour and the construction of a planned ring-road around Victoria.

Moreover, the association called on the government to fast-track pending legislation such as amendments to the Tourism Act (1999) and the implementation of the Diving Master Plan (2006).

The association believes that a strong international marketing campaign based on a carry capacity assessment study that assesses the supply of tourist services for the next 10 years is essential to “kick-start promotion of Gozo as a destination when restrictions on travel are lifted”.