Malta tops infrastructure table of global tourism survey
But lags behind on price and environment
Malta has the best infrastructure in the world but lags behind in price competitiveness and performs abysmally in the environment sector, according to a global tourism survey carried out by the World Travel and Tourism Council.
The country also scores well in the technology and human tourism fields, in a Competitiveness Monitor carried out among 212 countries by the London-based organisation.
The study shows that Australia has the best human resources, French Polynesia the best environment, San Marino the best technology, while the social development table is topped by Norway.
The human tourism table, reflecting how human development has advanced through tourism, is headed by Fiji, while the island of Aruba topped the openness table, which reflects how easy it is to visit a country.
WTTC tracks a wide range of information, which indicates to what extent a country offers a competitive environment for travel and tourism development. The Competitiveness Monitor offers an analytical framework which compares national performance statistics, policies and agreements.
The WTTC is the only body representing the private sector in all parts of the travel and tourism industry worldwide. Its members are leaders in all sectors of the industry, including accommodation, catering, entertainment, recreation, transportation and other travel-related services.
Overall, Malta performs reasonably well in the tourism sector.
With an index score of 100, Malta placed first overall in the infrastructure table, which is based on road networks, sanitation and water access.
Malta also performs well in the technology and human tourism fields, placing third and eighth respectively. The human tourism index measures the achievement of human development in terms of tourism activity.
Further down the line, Malta places 59th for tourism price competitiveness. The figure is computed by using the hotel price index, taxes on goods and services, and purchasing power parity.
Malta ranks in 66th place where the human resources indicator is concerned - a figure derived using data for life expectancy, illiteracy rates, education, employment, population, training, skills and gender indicators.
With a scoreboard of just 33 points, and placing low at 141st, Malta's environment was given a red light by the WTTC. This measure indicates a government's awareness of environmental aspects of development using population density, Co2 emissions and the ratification of environmental treaties as appropriate indicators.
Top 10 countries for competitiveness indicators:
Human Tourism
1. Fiji
2. Maldives
3. Seychelles
4. Vanuatu
5. Iceland
6. Hungary
7. Luxembourg
8. Malta
9. Mauritius
10. Malaysia
Infrastructure
1. Malta
2. Singapore
3. Barbados
4. Belgium
5. Netherlands
6. Grenada
7. Switzerland
8. St. Vincent
9. Hungary
10. Austria
Technology
1. San Marino
2. Monaco
3. Singapore
4. Luxembourg
5. Malta
6. Netherlands
7. Korea
8. Denmark
9. Iceland
10. Sweden