Policy in Gozo should be focused on keeping tourism levels on the sister island sustainable, the Gozo Tourism Association said in its 2025 budget proposals.
This comes after association members said they are seeing a drop in revenue despite an increase in tourists visiting Gozo.
“Gozo as a tourist destination has to be prepared to offer the advertised and marketed touristic product. The upkeep, cleanliness and organisation of Gozo as well as that of the touristic establishments are to reflect and match the expectations of the visitors to the Island. Furthermore, Gozo has to remain competitive in the product and services on offer, whilst ensuring that the visitors get the value for money spent,” they said.
To improve connectivity between Malta and Gozo, the group proposed a fourth ferry to replace the Nikolaus and the introduction of a smart ticketing system which will allow people to commute on different transport modes with a common ticket.
Discussing the environment, the association said it does not want Gozo to become a small Malta and therefore Malta’s planning policies are not necessarily appropriate to keep in Gozo.
To this end, they called for a new regional plan and planning policies specifically designed for Gozo to be preserved as an “island of villages”.
Incentives to purchase UCA property should be retained, they said, while those which benefit vernacular and post-war properties where buyers pledge to maintain the integrity of the property should be extended.
They also proposed a new fiscal incentive encouraging the restoration of traditional properties and converting them into boutique hotels.
A marine reserve should also be established around the Gozitan coast and this should be enforced similarly to the Ċirkewwa marine reserve.
In order to promote Gozo as a distinct destination, the GTA also made a series of proposals suggesting upgrades to the island’s tourism product.
ECO contribution collected from Gozitan accommodations should be reinvested in strategic upgrading, like kiting areas for the diving community.
VAT that is applied to tickets for shows, theatres, fairs amusement parks, concerts, museums and other similar events and facilities should be reduced from 18% to 7%, they said.
A new underground multi-level car park to alleviate the lack of parking spaces in Victoria is also needed, they said.
A tailor-made tourism investment support scheme should also be implemented to entice local entrepreneurs to upgrade their Gozitan establishments.
They also urged the authorities to amend the summer construction break and prohibit all excavation and demolition works from taking place within a 50-meter radius of any MTA-licensed premises.
The association also made other proposals aimed at improving marketing Gozo overseas and improving human resources challenges.
“Tourism on the Island region of Gozo is also facing several challenges. While all National and Regional policies and strategies are pointing and directing towards a distinct destination, focusing on particular niche markets based on the island’s unique selling propositions, the tourism sector is very much concerned that the overdevelopment of Gozo is jeopardising and lambasting the core of these tourism values, the GTA said in its conclusion.
“These overdevelopments, mostly for residential purposes are impacting negatively the character of our little island, a proposition on which the tourism sector has been for years marketing and promoting Gozo with, as well as creating trends which are not naturally touristic.”