During the first conference organized by the Maltese Observatory for Tourism which discussed the sustainability of the industry in the future, Prime Minister Robert Abela stressed that the strong results that our country managed to achieve during this -sena came through a collective effort from everyone who works in this industry.
The Prime Minister explained that official figures released by the World Tourism Organization , the UNWTO, show that while world tourism will have reached 90% of pre-pandemic levels by the end of this year , Malta far surpasses this recovery. Dr. Abela said that this is also due to the Maltese tourist product and the various niches that attract tourists all year round. He insisted, however, that more actions need to be taken to further strengthen the tourist product and increase the quality. Here he referred to the investment that will begin to be made in the human resource, and then, the introduction of the Skills Card in the field of hospitality with the aim that the employees have the necessary skills in an industry that is constantly improving its quality.
The Prime Minister Robert Abela said that at the center of the national strategy for tourism is sustainability. He said that sustainability is a main principle that guides the government in everything it does and in the decisions it takes. “The impact of climate change, the need for a core for an economy that does not produce emissions and the need for a balance between economic growth and social and environmental development must be taken into consideration in a tourism industry which is getting stronger all the time”, emphasized Dr. Abela. Here he appealed to the stakeholders of the industry to once again be at the forefront in order to reach the tourist goals. “The government needs all of you so that together we can continue to achieve results. I am pleased to note that this is already happening”, repeated the Prime Minister. He referred to the multimillion investment by the Malta International Airport which will be giving importance to the environmental aspect and to other investments being made in the accommodation sector. He said that all of these raise the level of the Maltese tourist product while contributing to the environmental goals that our country has to achieve carbon neutrality.
The conference was organized in collaboration with the Ministry for Tourism and the Malta Tourism Authority and was addressed by leading professionals and speakers in the field.
