Comino overtourism

Comino was once a dreamland for relaxation. The crystal clear waters of the Blue Lagoon, some family and friends and a ftira biż-żejt (closed Maltese bread with tuna). 

What more could you ask for?

That was Comino, just a while ago. A place where Maltese families and friends went to relax and enjoy a day at the beach together. 

Overcrowding in Comino. Photo: Jonathan Borg

Today, that is not feasible anymore. Why? Because Comino, more specifically, the Blue Lagoon, has become so overcrowded, filled with a huge amount of tourists and deckchairs.

I have nothing against tourists, and they are essential to the economy, however, some form of action has to be taken to control the number of visitors Comino can take. 

Nowadays, it is filled with deckchairs; it is so overcrowded that locals do not even consider going to Comino anymore.

This form of overcrowding is called overtourism, when there are too many visitors to a particular destination.

Other countries also faced overtourism in some locations. The city of Venice has decided to set a limit on how large a group of tourists visiting can be. It also imposed an entry fee for tourists. 

Some Greek islands have also experienced overtourism and, like Venice, have taken action by limiting the number of tourists that can visit them.

These are not the only two destinations that have experienced overtourism and took action to control it. Comino is clearly facing the same problem, so what are we waiting for?

What I think it best for Comino, while considering other countries’ measures when tackling overtourism, is a clear limit on the number of tourists that can visit every day. There can also be a fee for tourists for entry to Comino, as the demand will be much higher than the supply.

This is my opinion on how to tackle the issue. There may be more or better solutions, however, one thing is for sure: some form of restriction has to be put in place so that Comino can, once again, be enjoyed by locals and tourists alike.

Let’s hope this issue gets addressed before this summer.

Maverick Gauci – Kirkop