GWU secretary-general Josef Bugeja: ‘Workers’ social mobility dependent on lifelong learning and the acquisition of new skills that can raise level of service in tourism industry’.
The General Workers’ Union has called for renewed investment in the Maltese skills
base for workers in the travel, hospitality and food and beverage sector, in a bid to
attract quality tourism.
GWU secretary-general Josef Bugeja welcomed the positive results achieved in tourism figures in 2023, which surpassed expectations with 3 million tourist arrivals –an 8% increase compared to 2019, the year preceding the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tourist nights in Malta throughout 2023 exceeded 20.2 million – a 5% increase over
2019 – with total spending during the year reaching €2.7 billion, a massive 20%
increase over 2019.
“We are satisfied with these tourism figures, and they form part of the stronger framework that has been put in place in a bid to fortify this industry. These numbers were actually expected only in 2024. Now the next step is to emphasise on the quality of service that workers can offer to visitors to Malta,” Bugeja said.
Bugeja said such historic tourist arrival figures could only be maintained with the year-long attraction of tourists to Malta. “The island does not depend on just one market, but several tourism markets, and this diversification is a factor we have to pay attention to. The emphasis on long-haul markets is crucial.”
Bugeja added that apart from government policies serving to attract more quality tourism, visitors to the islands were also seeking a good product, a clean environment, and authentic experiences in Malta.
“Maltese workers in tourism have always been renowned for the quality of their service. And such tourism figures can only be maintained when this level of service is improved. The Skills Pass, which will be introduced in the coming weeks, will be the key to raise this level of service. The GWU is a big supporter of the Skills Pass, for workers’ social mobility is also dependent on lifelong learning and the acquisition of new skills,” Bugeja said.
Malta’s tourism figures were also registered against the background of competing tourism destinations, Bugeja said. “Tourism is a motor for the Maltese economy, especially when compared to other Mediterranean and European states, and this should be celebrated by workers, as well as for the job carried out by the tourism ministry and the Malta Tourism Authority – the work they do to attract more tourists, is priceless.”
Bugeja also said that, within the GWU’s vision for a national strategy for Malta’s economic development, connectivity remains key to the success of any overall tourism strategy.
