Tourism to Gozo has not been as strong as expected this summer but the Santa Marija holiday should provide a welcome boost, according to the Gozo Tourism Association.

“The beginning of the summer was a bit slow and July was less [strong] than anticipated... but we’re expecting Santa Marija to compensate for the slack earlier in the season,” said the association’s CEO Joe Muscat.

Calling Tuesday's public holiday the “peak of the island’s tourist season,” Muscat said that based on industry feedback, it should have gained ground by the end of the year, reaching similar tourism levels to those seen in 2019.

While official tourism figures are not yet out for the start of summer, Malta International Airport reported a record number of passengers in July, with visitors mainly from Italy, the UK and France.

Asked why Gozo had seen a slow start to the season, Muscat said that while inflation had put pressure on the island to stay competitive, it was important to consider the impacts of development on the island’s character.

“We’re at a crossroads... are we going to go for numbers or quality? With the development that Gozo is experiencing, are we still going to be different? Are we still going to be an island of small villages? We have to ask these questions,” he said.

“Gozo isn’t benefitting from the music festivals and large numbers of young people [seen in Malta], but we’re not trying to attract that,” Muscat added.

Last August, an online survey by the Gozo Tourism Association found that all participants believed the island was losing its charm and characteristics to overdevelopment.

Furthermore, 91 per cent of the survey respondents said the development would deter foreign and local tourists from visiting Gozo.

“The survey confirmed the tourism sector in Gozo is seriously concerned about the over-development in Gozo,” the association said in a statement at the time.

Meanwhile, the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association (MHRA) described accommodation bookings for Santa Marija and last weekend as “very good”.

“It’s still early to provide details but at this stage the feedback from hotels is positive,” said MHRA CEO Andrew Agius Muscat.

Highlighting the traditionally high numbers of Maltese visitors who visit Gozo for the celebrations, deputy president of the Chamber of SMEs and sector representative Philip Fenech said this represented an important part of the island’s tourism industry.

“Domestic tourism is always strong for Santa Marija, and we know this helps Gozo’s tourism sector,” he said.