Revive Valletta - and don't forget the hotels

A number of contributions recently appeared on The Times encouraging a revival of Valletta also beyond office and shopping hours. Apart from cultural activities, restaurants and bars, one however must realise that tourist accommodation also forms part of this holistic effort

While a few 'big block' hotels in the classic tourist zones are sometimes referred to as being "unimaginative" in style and as having "marred the landscape", even when some examples do stand out positively and tourists need to be accommodated somewhere, there is no doubt that Valletta hotels integrate into the cityscape.

Castille Hotel fits perfectly well on the square opposite the Prime Minister's office, while the British Hotel also looks fully integrated, as one can see from Senglea, with its numerous classic Maltese balconies and the blue marquises of its restaurant.

This small hotel has also served for a number of made-for-TV productions and recently with its immediate surroundings for a real big shot from Hollywood. The Osborne, another classic, blends into its surrounding too.

Valletta's Grand Harbour-side bastions offer the right possibility for tourists knowing how to appreciate the charm of the Mediterranean. Additionally, a small guesthouse like the converted Asti, with its fine traditional features, shows that low-budget accommodation does not automatically mean dilapidated concrete blocks or a shady dive.

In the high-end segment there is the classic Phoenicia, in the large deluxe hotel class. And Mdina's small Xara Palace Hotel proves that with top upmarket tourists who appreciate Malta and a tasteful historic setting, a personal atmosphere with architectural and environmental sustainability can be very successful too.

What needs to be marketed more is nostalgia, being a classic and delivering quality personal service, also when it comes to a lower star category hotel. All these hotels must differentiate themselves from the rest and stress it well.

Personal service and short distances, plus a number of smaller and/or family-run hotels add the personal touch to the Malta experience, making allowances for small deficiencies. The smaller family-run hotels and top-of-the range hotels are the ones receiving the most positive results. And satisfied guests are potential return customers to Malta.

Definitely, city accommodation can and will only be a niche segment, but it focuses on tourists who, even when choosing 'only' a three-star hotel, can be called 'quality tourists', visiting the country also during the leaner seasons. And all this without selling Malta only via a cheap price.

Malta as a selling point must convince with a differentiated product and trying to do this just via price will not work. Eastern Europe or Third World countries will always be cheaper and destinations experiencing impressive growth are also on the increase. Compared to other Mediterranean destinations, Malta is a niche product but it needs to differentiate itself from the rest and point out the positive sides of its uniqueness.

One increasingly reads letters of people who, after visiting Malta for decades, are now thinking twice about it. Not on account of hotels, but, apart from maybe the slightly over-enthusiastic demolition and construction activity (no doubt, also for hotels), a veteran visitor to Malta called it "construction..." (The Times, September 2), which one could term "destruction". And a few other factors, like more rowdy young tourists, primarily on account of general shabbiness and environmental stress.

One cannot dig up pavements in the direct vicinity of hotels and then, while quickly repaving them, unfortunately do the job in such a way that inattentive pedestrians might stumble. OK, "it's their fault, everybody must look where they tread."

To promote the idea of hotels in Valletta, just as an example, but this certainly applies to other places as well, all streets inside a locality must be well lit, not just in the immediate surroundings, but also 50 metres away, without shabby, dark corners, a definite disincentive for guests to go out or arrive after sunset (and thus maybe spend some money).

Why are street lights burning even during the day in the countryside, where they are not even necessary during the night as all cars are equipped with (hopefully functioning) lights, but one has dark corners in residential areas? Or take the pavements, like below Dar l-Emigrant, or other shabby corners.

This is on the way to two small hotels which, although not top of the range, undoubtedly offer the most spectacular views of Grand Harbour, and to the War Rooms, marketed as a tourist site of the fortress island. Sure, "two small and low-star hotels, with only a few elderly residents living around. So, who cares a dime?", or "Why walk, take a taxi, it creates jobs".

Thankfully, initiatives to improve Valletta's image by the government and local councils, parastatal entities, private enterprises and individuals are now gaining momentum. These first initiatives are particularly tough challenges and deserve the greatest respect.

Marketing accommodation in Valletta might, apart from its main focus being on the city's historic surroundings, stress far more its logistic advantages.

All ministries are within walking distance in Valletta. The city is the central bus hub connecting directly to all localities. So tourists wanting to discover Malta are not static but can use public transport.

From a restaurants/entertainment facilities point of view, one should maybe avoid turning Valletta into another Paceville. The promotion of more cultural and entertainment activities and of existing facilities is on the right track.

However, making Valletta an 'in' place, without eradicating the charms of its small and slightly old-fashioned shops, will not hurt. Such charms must be sold as something positive.

Another issue could be support for those ready to refurbish and restore both residential and commercial/hotel premises, provided counter-financing is generated that does not put other places at a disadvantage.

Funds generated by parking fees could be used for overhauls of pavements, façades, etc. If hotels or restaurants want to modernise, and if people even want to move to Valletta to live there and refurbish property, they deserve encouragement. A sound traffic management/infrastructure catering for residents' needs is also essential.

This and an improved image would also make it at long last more attractive for people to invest in Valletta properties with upgrading potential which are otherwise slowly crumbling to bits, and along with them their real worth.

Speculative paralysis with pie-in-the-sky ideas of prices for ramshackle properties, and years and decades passing with nothing moving on, does not help. Less stagnation and more dynamics are needed.

Present property owners should have no illusions, as investors would have to invest a lot. Private investment in heavy refurbishing is needed and this deserves the right framework. Good first steps have been made, especially by specialised real estate agents. This must be encouraged further.

One must also protect Valletta from destructive elements. On the one hand, this would be architectural damage, but one has that under strict legal control. But remember what happened to the archives of the War Museum, destroyed by vandal fire. One must make sure that 'lower Valletta' areas in particular are no habitat for drug addicts, suspicious elements, etc., including areas with historic forts. This is not what the many law-abiding citizens, prospective locally based tourists, and general visitors of the capital deserve. More police showing a courteous but visible presence might help.

Every country is proud of its capital and tries to make it the country's most prestigious place. Look at the great job done near the cruise liner terminal, initiatives in the city itself, a few refurbishments here and there, and the fireworks festival.

Valletta needs more of this, becoming a small but great place. It is the EU's smallest national capital, the size of a village. Why not exploit this, proudly saying 'small is beautiful', maybe even for Malta in general?

Even with improvements, no hundreds of thousands of tourists will opt for city accommodation. Yet it is a diversification of the accommodation portfolio that deserves stronger marketing efforts. The same might also apply for the so far totally undeveloped agrotourism, a huge success in Italy.

Hotels and restaurants are crucial for making Valletta a location also after day trippers and shoppers have left. A capital that is alive and one to be proud of is something the country deserves.