the quality of the product has increased
and the profile of the tourist coming to
Malta has been adjusted
Malta has registered a double digit growth in the first
three months of the year – averaging 15% compared
to the 1% in the summer months. So it is noticeable
that the market caps itself automatically without in-
tervention. Looking at the scenario from a seasonal-
ity perspective, Malta is a product that can be offered
throughout the year. The numbers are showing this!”
Dr Gulia recalls that some tourists prefer to go to Tuni-
sia, Egypt and Turkey because their rates may be consid-
ered to be on the lower side. But this is not something
Quantity and quality of tourists experiencing
Malta is expected to keep increasing.
negative since this means that Malta is in demand de-
spite the competition these countries present. “If one
looks back ten years, it was possible to compare our
model to these countries. This is not the case nowadays.
Malta is more expensive but that is because the quality of
the product has increased and the profile of the tourist
coming to Malta has been adjusted.” In fact, Dr Gulia
reasons that in the coming decade the quality of visitors
will be even higher than that presently experienced.
“So why is Malta also being promoted on platforms
whose targeted demographics lie within the lower eco-
nomical rungs?” we ask. Dr Gulia argues that “one
needs volume and quality; in order to attain qual-
ity one must have critical mass. Now that Malta has
reached a good volume, that volume is leveraging in
the quality-oriented visitor.” Dr Gulia reasons that
even hoteliers and private accommodation operators
want volume, as “no one wants vacant rooms.”
So, to my question as to whether Dr Gulia would agree
with Venice or Italy’s stance of creating entry barriers
to visitors to keep the numbers down, Dr Gulia reit-
erates that the market has a habit of regulating itself
when it comes to demand and supply. Malta is selling
throughout the year but there is room for growth in
the winter months and it is here that the Authority
is concentrating its efforts - indeed, growth over the
same period in 2018 has been registered. “Tourists do
not fall from the sky,” he said. “This growth is the re-
sult of the hard work that the Authority does to devel-
op new routes, work with airlines and provide a fertile
ground for tourists.”
Notwithstanding the various challenges the Maltese
tourism industry faces, Dr. Gulia maintains a pos-
itive outlook and believes that the Authority and its
stakeholders are well poised to face and tackle them
accordingly. This outlook is further strengthened by
the results achieved in the recent years coupled with
the synergies that have been created between the vari-
ous teams within the Authority.
Issue 05
25