Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Destination
Nadia Theuma
Introduction
Tourism Development in the Maltese
Islands 1950s-1990s
Situated at the centre of the Mediterranean,
the Maltese islands are very often seen as
a sun-and-sea destination attracting mainly
summer tourism and mass tourists. The
islands are also endowed with rich cultural
and historical assets, that until recently were
seen as an 'add-on' rather than a main feature
of the tourism product. Tourism in Malta is
based on tour-operator business, with about
76%
Although present since the beginning of the
20th century, tourism in Malta was officially
launched in 1958, when Malta was still a British
colony (Pollacco, 2003). Since then, tourism
has experienced a rapid growth with the num-
ber of visitors increasing from 12,583 in 1959
to 1.13m in 2003 (Table 17.1). Today, tourism
is considered the backbone of the Maltese
economy, with gross tourism earnings for 2000
reaching LM260.7m (
€
600m) (MTA 2001).
of
the
business
being
tour-operator
generated.
Malta's tourism development pattern fol-
lows closely the classic model of a tourism
development cycle (Butler, 1980) where, after
very modest beginnings, tourism in Malta went
through a phase of rapid growth in volume, fol-
lowed by stagnation and rejuvenation. Through-
out the years there has been an emphasis on
Malta's image as a destination. This chapter will
analyse changes in tourism in Malta over the
past three decades and the actions adopted
by Maltese tourism authorities to reposition the
islands. In doing so, it will highlight the diffi-
culties encountered when operating in an
environment of increased competition, limited
financial resources common to small scale
economies and a new political and strategic alli-
ance brought about by the accession to the
European Union.
Early beginnings (1960s-1970s)
Malta's natural resources of abundant sunshine
and mild climate, a rich cultural heritage (Pearce,
1955) and its status as a British colony, were
crucial in establishing Malta as a tourism desti-
nation. During the early 1960s, tourism enjoyed
a positive but gradual growth; yet it was not per-
ceived as an important economic activity and
was not actively encouraged by the govern-
ment. However, by the mid-1960s, as the termi-
nation of the British presence in Malta drew
nearer, the Maltese authorities saw tourism as
the ideal replacement for the economic activi-
ties generated by the naval base.
