Former Labour minister wins distinction in MSc course

His love for tourism has not only led him to take up a Master's Degree course in tourism studies, it also made him give up his architectural practice to take up a full-time job with Corinthia Hotels International.

Labour MP Karmenu Vella, 52, of Zurrieq, had shown little interest in tourism before he had been appointed his party's spokesman on tourism in 1992. He went on to become tourism minister in 1996 and is now shadow minister for tourism.

Mr Vella decided to follow the course immediately after Labour lost the 1998 election. He will now be graduating from Sheffield Hallam University in November.

He has just been informed that he has been awarded an MSc tourism management award, given to the best overall distance learning graduate in the school of sport and leisure management.

He has also been told that his thesis "Shareholders' attitudes towards tourism growth management strategies - case study Malta" has been awarded distinction.

The thesis deals with tourism growth in small islands and considers the economic benefits along with social and environmental costs.

Mr Vella said that managing tourism growth to maximise benefits and minimise costs had a better chance of success if decision-makers took into account the stakeholders' view and opinions and involve them throughout the process.

The study examined stakeholder attitudes towards tourism growth management strategies in Malta.

The relevant literature and policy documents were analysed and key decision-makers, namely the former Planning Authority and the Malta Tourism Authority, were interviewed to identify the main issues related to tourism growth management and the pertinent strategies.

Another set of interviews was conducted with non-decision-makers to examine the attitudes of these stakeholders towards the strategies.

The research indicated that stakeholders favoured the management of tourism growth, did not feel there was enough stakeholder participation, and thought that the best strategic scenario for Malta in managing tourism growth was that of a limited growth. All stakeholders supported this scenario.

The study ascertained how tourism growth management impacted on the economic, social and environmental aspects.

Mr Vella said that although he had gained a great deal of experience when he was minister and, also, as party spokesman for tourism, the course gave him a much broader perspective.

Asked what he would do for tourism if he were to become tourism minister again, he said: "I would listen more... many stakeholders have good ideas but no one is listening to them."

He feels that greater authority should be given to decision-makers. But such authority would, in turn, have to be matched by greater responsibility and accountability.

Stakeholders should be involved more in the planning stage as feeling part of the ownership of an idea would make for easier implementation, and long-term planning was very important.

Mr Vella has now been working with Corinthia for the past two years and has been acting chairman of Corinthia Hotels International for over a year.

His criticism of current tourism policies is that the private sector is not being involved enough.

He said the first study on tourism in Malta, commissioned in 1967, had identified three problems. These were that Malta's tourism was based on sun and sea, seasonality and low-rated business.

The same three problems were identified in another study commissioned in 1989 and the strategic plan of the Malta Tourism Authority a few years ago identified Malta's over- dependence on sun and sea tourists, highlighted the country's need to go for higher spending tourists and to get more tourists in the low season.