The Labour spokesman on tourism, Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, has urged the government to do its part for Malta to retain its competitiveness in tourism.

“The government cannot expect the industry to invest in the tourism product and the workers to make sacrifices, while it does not shoulder its political responsibilities and remains idle, letting Malta slip behind other destinations,” Ms Coleiro-Preca said.

She pointed out that a survey of 130 destinations conducted by the World Economic Forum, placed Malta at 100 on price competitiveness, 106 on ticket and departure taxes, 104 on fuel price levels, 91 on purchasing power parity and 65 on the extent and effect of taxation.

Such figures, she said, showed that it was the government itself which was contributing to a loss of competitiveness by Malta, a situation which needed to be tackled immediately, especially in view of the worsening economic situation in Malta’s main tourism markets.