Aligning the economy and the environment

More than four months ago we discussed the possible impacts of the EU emissions trading scheme on shipping emissions. This was effective as of the first day of the current year. Specifically, this was considered to impact substantially the operations of the Freeport Terminal at Birżebbuġa. Earlier this week government announced that it had commissioned a study intended in part to address these impacts as part of a much broader exercise that seeks to quantify the challenges Malta has to face as an island state on the periphery of the European Union.

The EU emissions trading scheme seeks to align the shipping industry with the Paris Climate targets, that is, ensuring that the global mean temperature does not rise to more than 1.5 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial age temperature. This is done by making use of environmental taxation in order to encourage innovation and consequently through new technology to reduce emissions thereby contributing to a reduction of the projected global increase in temperature.

When the EU emissions trading scheme was updated to be applied to shipping, the Labour government’s representatives on the various EU structures did not in any way indicate that Malta was not in agreement. This signifies that there was either approval or else the Maltese representatives were fast asleep when the matter was approved.

There was ample time for government to plan, yet it remained silent and only now, after the event, it is commissioning reports and studies to address the resulting challenges!

The basic challenge that we must face very urgently is the alignment of our economy with our environmental responsibilities. This is not only evident in shipping but it is also very clear in the tourism industry. It is not an issue that can be solved through state aid. It rather requires a clear green vision which unfortunately the Maltese state, as currently led, does not have.

This week we have been told by the industry that tourism numbers will be approaching 3,200,000 this year. This is not good news. It clearly signifies that tourism growth is completely out of control. The concerns generated are various, primarily overcrowding but also that of an infrastructure bursting at the seams, bringing to the fore mistaken priorities which ignored the long-term view, so essential to adequate planning.

Two years ago, we had an early warning of what lies in store. The publication of the Deloitte report on the tourism capacity of the Maltese islands had spelt out the problem quite clearly. The projected supply of touristic beds is such that it would require close to 5 million tourists annually to achieve an 80 per cent occupancy.

Overtourism is impacting the quality of life of residents all over the islands. The taking over of our pavements by the catering industry is just one of the most obvious symptoms. Residents in most localities are fed up as a result of tourism continuously and arrogantly invading their space. Sewers are overflowing at an increased frequency. Obviously, this will impact bathing water as sewage overflows are taking place close to public beaches frequented for bathing.

Tables and chairs spill over onto pavements and squeeze pedestrians onto the streets. The secure space reserved for pedestrians has been taken over abusively by the tourism industry. As a result, pedestrians end up competing with traffic for space, risking their lives in the process.  Music which goes on into the silent hours at excessive levels is also contributing to an ever-growing problem. The resulting noise pollution is annoying everyone.

The term “sustainable tourism” is a contradiction in terms as, tourism, is not, and can never be, sustainable. We can address its various impacts, and possibly reduce some of them.  However, this will not make tourism sustainable. No amount of greenwashing can transform tourism into a sustainable enterprise.

Overtourism has brought people out, protesting in the streets, not just in Malta but also elsewhere, as has happened recently in the Canary Islands. In the Balearic Islands, with statistics approaching the twenty million mark per annum, the Regional Government is considering taking measures to control tourism growth before it is too late. The City of Venice has introduced a tourist tax to reduce excessive tourist numbers but so far this has been ineffective.

Tourism does not exist in a vacuum. It has considerable social and environmental impacts which are reflected in the quality of life of the impacted residential community, the deterioration of our surroundings and the depletion of the resources which Mother Earth provides. Maltese academics researching into the impacts of tourism are of the opinion that Malta has exceeded its carrying capacity in terms of tourist arrivals.

It is only a question of time before the anti-tourism sentiment currently gaining ground in other European touristic destinations reaches our shores. It is a pity that instead of improving the quality of our product, the industry has been mismanaged and is currently in a self-destructive mode.

Unfortunately, the tourism industry does not care about anything except what goes into its bank account. We need to change direction the soonest before it is too late. It is a must that we align our economy with our environmental responsibilities.

Tourism is a prime candidate for this re-alignment.

published in The Malta Independent on Sunday: 26 May 2024

Politika dwar turiżmu sostenibbli

L-Awtorità Maltija tat-Turiżmu għadha kif ħabbret li tul l-2019 2.75 miljun turist żaru Malta. Din qabża kbir fuq perjodu ta’ għaxar snin. Fl-2010 iċ-ċifra kienet ta’ 1.33 miljun turist. Ġejna infurmati wkoll li t-turisti li żaru Malta tul l-2019, kemm damu fostna, nefqu iktar minn 2.2 biljun euro, ċifra li taqbeż ir-rekord stabilit fl-2018.

Dawn numri impressjonanti, sakemm tistaqsi (u jkollok tweġiba għal) mistoqsija bażika. Dan kollu, sostenibbli?

Xi snin ilu l-Awtorità tat-Turiżmu kienet ikkonkludiet studju li minnu joħroġ li t-turist li jiġi jżura, ras għal ras, jikkonsma 50% mir-riżorsi iktar minna li noqgħodu hawn. Din l-informazzjoni kont sibtha jiena u naqra wieħed mir-rapport dwar il-qagħda ambjentali tal-pajjiż (State of the Environment Report). Fil-qosor, dan ifisser impatt addizzjonali ras għal ras fuq ir-riżorsi li nagħmlu użu minnhom u mhux biss l-ilma u l-elettriku imma wkoll l-iskart iġġenerat, it-trasport, l-art żviluppata u ħafna iktar.

L-istatistika ppubblikata mill-Uffiċċju Nazzjonali tal-Istatistika tiffoka fuq l-aħbar pożittiva relatata mat-turiżmu lejn Malta. Imma dan kollu xejn ma jispjega l-impatti ġġenerati bħala riżultat. L-istatistika, wara kollox, m’għandiex dan l-iskop! Mhuwiex xieraq li tiffoka fuq l-aħbar li timpressjona mingħajr ma tfisser u tispjega l-impatti kkawżati biex jitlaħqu dawn ir-riżultati. .

Xi ġimgħat ilu, fuq dawn il-paġni kont iddiskutejt turiżmu li qed jikber iżżejjed (overtourism). Dakinnhar kont staqsejt jekk l-impatt ekonomiku tat-turiżmu jiġġustifikax l-effetti soċjali u ambjentali tiegħu. Dak li jiflaħ pajjiżna, jiġifieri dak li nirreferu għalih bħala l-carrying capacity tal-gżejjer Maltin, ċioe n-numru ta’ turisti li għalihom għandna riżorsi adegwati, hu ta’ importanza fundamentali f’din id-diskussjoni. Politika dwar it-turiżmu li dan kollu ma tqiesux sewwa hi politka difettuża.

Julia Farrugia Portelli, Ministru għat-Turiżmu, donnha hi tal-istess ħsieb. Fil-fatt, hi u titkellem dwar iċ-ċifri tat-turiżmu għas-sena 2019 ħabbret li l-abbozz tal-pjan għat-Turiżmu li għandu jwassalna sal-2025 ser ikun ibbażat fuq il-prinċipji ta’ turiżmu sostenibbli, kif ukoll fuq il-kisbiet tas- snin li għaddew.

Jista’ t-turiżmu qatt ikun sostenibbli? Kif bosta minna bla dubju ntebħu, is-sostenibilità hi terminu minn l-iktar abbużat.

Aħna u neżaminaw il-kontribut tat-turiżmu lis-soċjetà Maltija m’għandniex nillimitaw ruħna għad-dħul finanzjarju: għandna nagħtu każ ukoll tal-ispejjeż, mhux biss f’termini ta’ flus imma wkoll l-ispiża soċjali u ambjentali.

B’żieda mal-eċċessività ta’ riżorsi ikkunsmati ras għal ras mit-turisti wieħed għandu jżid mhux biss l-iżvilupp esaġerat tal-art, li għalih it-turiżmu wkoll jagħti sehem mhux żgħir, imma ukoll il-kontribuzzjoni lejn it-tibdil fil-klima mill-industrija tal-avjazzjoni. Din hi materja li ma nistgħux nibqgħu ninjorawha. Bla dubju ser nisimgħu ħafna iktar dwar dan matul il-ġimgħat u x-xhur li ġejjin huwa u jiżviluppa d-dibattitu dwar il-Patt Ġdid Aħdar tal-Unjoni Ewropea (EU Green Deal) ippilotat mill-Kummissarju Frans Timmermanns. Dakinhar nifhmu aħjar dwar kif jaħsbuha dwar is-sostenibilità u l-iżvilupp sostenibbli dawk li jfasslu l-politika.

Il-viżjoni għat-turiżmu għas-snin li ġejjin tkun waħda werċa jekk ma tagħtix kaz tal-impatti soċjali u ambjentali tal-industrija. Dawk li jfasslu l-politika għat-turiżmu għandhom iħarsu lil hinn mid-dħul finanzjarju.

Lura fl-2008 l-antropologu Katalan Manoel Delgado kien ħoloq it-terminu turistofobia, biża’ mit-turiżmu, terminu li jwassal taħlita ta’ sentimenti ta’ stmerrija, nuqqas ta’ fiduċja u tmaqdir tat-turiżmu. Il-politika dwar it-turiżmu għandha tindirizza dawn l-impatti tat-turiżmu billi tassigura li t-turiżmu jkun limitat u ma jaqbiżx dak li jiflaħ il-pajjiż (carrying capacity). Dan ikun pass tajjeb il-quddiem għat-turiżmu u jikkuntrasta mal-qagħda xejn sostenibbli li għandna illum.

 

Ippubblikat fuq Illum : Il-Ħadd 9 ta’ Frar 2020

A sustainable tourism policy!

The Malta Tourism Authority has announced that, during 2019, the Maltese Islands received a record 2.75 million tourists, an impressive jump from the 2010 figure of 1.33 million.

We are told that the expenditure on the part of tourists visiting Malta during 2019 exceeded €2.2 billion, surpassing the previous record set in 2018.

The numbers are quite impressive but the basic question to ask, however, goes beyond impressive numbers. Is this sustainable?

Some years back, a study carried out by MTA concluded that a tourist visiting the Maltese islands makes use of 50 per cent more resources that locals. I originally came across this information when going through one of the State of the Environment Reports. In brief, this signifies an additional per capita impact on all resources that we use – not just water and electricity, but also waste generated, transport, land developed and much more.

The statistics published by the National Statistics Office give positive news regarding inbound tourism to Malta. They do not, however, explain in any way the impacts generated as a result, which is something beyond the scope of statistics. It is not, however, appropriate to sing the praises with numbers and ignore these impacts. Some weeks ago, I discussed the issue of over-tourism in these pages. I posed the question as to whether the economic impact of tourism justifies its social and environmental impacts. The carrying capacity of our islands – that is, the number of tourists with which our resources can reasonably cope – is of fundamental importance. A tourism policy that does not adequately consider the carrying capacity of the Maltese Islands is fundamentally flawed.

Tourism Minister Julia Farrugia Portelli is apparently thinking on the same wavelength. When discussing the 2019 tourism results, she announced that a draft tourism policy leading us up to 2025, will be based on the principles of sustainable tourism “while building on achievements of the past years”.

Can tourism ever be sustainable? The term “sustainability”, as most of us are by now aware, is a much-abused word and it is often used out of context in an effort to try and justify anything.

In order to gauge the contribution of tourism to Maltese society, we should not only consider the earnings derived there from but should also factor in the costs – not just financial ones but also social and environmental costs.

To the 50 per cent excess consumption of resources per capita one must add not only the overdevelopment of land generated by tourism but also the contribution to climate change by the aviation industry. This is certainly not negligible and we only ignore it at our peril. We will undoubtedly hear much more about this as the debate on the EU Green Deal – piloted by EU Commissioner Frans Timmermans – unfolds over the coming weeks and months. We will then understand much better what policy-makers assume when they use the terms “sustainability” and “sustainable development”.

The proposed tourism vision for the years ahead will be myopic if it does not factor in environmental and social impacts. Policy makers should look beyond the financial bottom-line.

Way back in 2008, Catalan anthropologist Manoel Delgado had coined the term “turistofobia” which term conveys a mixture of repudiation, mistrust and contempt for tourists. A tourism policy should address these negative impacts of tourism by ensuring that it is restrained within the carrying capacity of the Maltese Islands. This would be a reasonable first step towards a tourism that is less unsustainable than at present.

published on The Independent on Sunday : 9 February 2020

Turiżmu li jagħti kas lin-nies

Id-dibattitu dwar l-impatti tat-turiżmu hu wieħed li ma jispiċċa qatt. X’impatti soċjali u ambjentali huma ġustifikabbli minħabba l-gwadann ekonomiku tat-turiżmu? Ir-riżorsi tal-pajjiż, fi ftit kliem x’numru ta’ turisti jifilħu?

Iktar kmieni din il-ġimgħa, Tony Zahra, President tal-MHRA (l-Assoċjazzjoni Maltija tal-Lukandi u r-Restoranti) kien kritiku dwar in-numru ta’ turisti u l-impatt tagħhom. Kien rappurtat li qal li n-numru ta’ turisti li qed jiġu Malta kien qed jikber wisq. Emfasizza li l-pajjiż ma jiflaħx għall-impatti li jiġġeneraw daqshekk turisti. L-interess ta’ Tony Zahra fit-turiżmu dejjem kien limitat għall-impatt fuq dawk li joperaw il-lukandi: fejn Zahra għandu l-interessi finanzjarji tiegħu. Għadni qatt ma smajt lill- MHRA u lil Tony Zahra, per eżempju, jinkoraġixxu l-agri-turiżmu, u l-importanza ta’ dan (kieku jsir sewwa) biex jiddiversifika b’mod sostenibbli l-prodott turistiku Malti.

Kważi simultanjament għall-kummenti ta’ Tony Zahra, l-Istitut tal-Università ta’ Malta dwar il-Gżejjer u l-Istati Żgħar (The Islands and Small States Institute) ippubblika studju tal-Professuri Lino Briguglio u Marie Avellino, intitolat : Has overtourism reached the Maltese Islands?

Fl-istudju tagħhom, Briguglio u Avellino jagħtu daqqa t’għajn u jidentifikaw dak li għaddej fit-turiżmu u jidentifikaw l-argumenti kritiċi li qed ikunu żviluppati dwar il-materja. Turiżmu li qed jikber iżżejjed (overtourism) u l-biża’ mit-turiżmu (tourismphobia) huma termini li qed jintużaw bi frekwenza li qed tiżdied biex jiddeskrivu l-impatti soċjali negativi li qed jiżviluppaw bħala riżultat ta’ turiżmu li qed jikber kważi bla rażan. Kien fl-2008 li l-antropologu Katalan Manoel Delgado ddeskriva it- turistofobia bħala taħlita ta’ stmerrija, nuqqas ta’ fiduċja u tmaqdir tat-turiżmu.

Fl-istudju ta’ Briguglio u Avellino hu analizzat stħarriġ li għalih, 51% ta’ dawk li wieġbu qalu illi ma jixtiqux jaraw iktar turisti fil-belt jew raħal tagħhom. L-awturi jinterpretaw dan bħala li jindika li t-turiżmu f’Malta kiber wisq (overtourism), avolja jqisu li l-kampjun ta’ dawk li wieġbu l-istħarriġ hu ftit dgħajjef minħabba li mhux rappresentattiv b’mod adegwat.

Fost l-affarijiet li qed jikkontribwixxu għall-iżvilupp ta’ din il-biża mit-turiżmu hemm il-pressjonijiet soċjali u l-impatti ambjentali (kemm skart b’mod ġenerali kif ukoll il-kontribut għal attività esaġerata tal-industrija tal-kostruzzjoni), konġestjoni tat-traffiku, storbju, it-theddida tat-telf tal-identità kulturali u konflitti soċjo-kulturali.

L-MHRA, kif indika Tony Zahra, tidher li hi tal-istess fehma, avolja Zahra tkellem b’mod ġenerali u evita li jitkellem fid-dettall. L-interess tiegħu, wara kollox, hu l-impatt fuq il-but tal-membri tal-MHRA.

L-istudju ta’ Briguglio u Avellino jemfasizza l-ħtieġa li l-politika dwar it-turiżmu għandha tfittex li tindirizza l-impatti negattivi tal-industrija. Dan mhux biss biex tkun indirizzat il-kwalità tal-ħajja tar-residenti lokali imma ukoll biex l-esperjenza tat-turist tkun waħda aħjar u awtentika. It-triq ‘il-quddiem, jgħidulna Briguglio u Avellino, hi d-demokratizzazzjoni tal-iżvilupp turistiku u dan billi jkun inkoraġġit l-impenn tar-residenti milquta fil-komunitajiet tagħna. L-awturi ma jidħlux f’dettall biex jispjegaw dan kollu x’jista’ jfisser. Għandna nifhmu, iżda, li l-proċess tat-teħid tad-deċiżjonijiet kollha li jikkonċernaw l-iżvilupp tat-turiżmu għandhom ikunu soġġetti għal skrutinju pubbliku kontinwu. Dan m’għandux ifisser biss is-sehem tar-residenti milquta f’dan l-iskrutinju imma fuq kollox li dak li jgħidu jkun rifless fid-deċiżjonijiet li jittieħdu.

Permezz tad-demokratizzazzjoni tal-iżvilupp turistiku, hu iktar possibli li l-interessi u aġendi konfliġġenti fit-turiżmu jkunu indirizzati. Bħala riżultat ta’ dan, l-imprenditur li jħares lejn il-qliegħ immedjat ikollu jiffaċċja r-realtajiet soċjali u l-impatti ambjentali u kulturali tal-ħidma tiegħu. Bħalissa l-operaturi turistiċi jimpalaw il-profitti u aħna, l-bqija, ndewwu l-feriti soċjali, kulturali u ambjentali li jkunu ħolqu b’ħidmiethom.

It-turiżmu mhiex attività li issir f’bozza. Isseħħ f’komunità magħmula min-nies li għandhom ikollhom l-assigurazzjonijiet kollha neċessarji li l-kwalità tal-ħajja tagħhom mhux ser taqla’ daqqa l-isfel bħala riżultat. It-turiżmu mhux dwar numri ta’ turisti, miljuni ta’ ewro li jintefqu inkella dwar il-kontribut lejn il-Prodott Gross Nazzjonali. Hu ukoll dwar il-kwalità tal-ħajja tagħna lkoll.

It-turiżmu sostenibbli huwa primarjament dwar in-nies u mhux dwar il-profitt. Stennejna iktar minn biżżejjed biex dawk li huma effettwati jkunu assigurati li l-ħajja tagħhom ma tibqax imtappna minn dawk li jaraw biss il-flus. Biex dan iseħħ ma hemm l-ebda alternattiva għajr li l-iżvilupp turistiku jkun demokratizzat.

 

Ippubblikat fuq Illum: il-Ħadd 11 t’Awwissu 2019

The democratisation of tourism

The debate on the impacts of tourism is never-ending. To what extent does the economic impact of tourism justify its social and environmental impacts? What is the carrying capacity of our islands, that is, what is the number of tourists with which our resources can reasonably cope?

Earlier this week, Tony Zahra, President of the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association (MHRA) sounded the alarm: he was reported as saying that the number of tourists visiting Malta was too high. He emphasised that it is substantially exceeding the limits of what the country can take sustainably. Tony Zahra’s interest in tourism is limited to the impacts on hotels and hoteliers, his bread and butter. I have yet to hear the MHRA and Tony Zahra advocating agri-tourism, for example, and its importance in diversifying Malta’s tourism product sustainably.

Almost simultaneously The Islands and Small States Institute of the University of Malta published a Paper authored by Professors Lino Briguglio and Marie Avellino, entitled: Has overtourism reached the Maltese Islands?

In their Paper Briguglio/Avellino skim though the issues, identifying the trends and an ever-growing literature on over-tourism. “Over-tourism” and “tourismphobia” are increasingly used as terms to describe the emergence of social discontent with the pressures linked to tourism growth. It was way back in 2008 that  the Catalan anthropologist Manoel Delgado had described turistofobia as a mixture of repudiation, mistrust and contempt for tourists.

In a survey which is discussed in the Briguglio/Avellino paper, 51 per cent of respondents said that they did not want to see more tourists in their town or village. The authors interpret this as indicating the existence of over-tourism in the Maltese islands, even though they consider the sample of respondents as being weak and not adequately representative.

Among the issues contributing to this developing tourist phobia are social discomfort, environmental degradation (including both generation of waste and excessive construction activity), traffic congestion, noise, the loss of cultural identity and socio-cultural clashes.

The MHRA, as indicated by its President Tony Zahra, seems to be on the same wavelength although Tony Zahra limits himself to speaking in general terms, as his primary interest is the financial bottom-line of MHRA members.

The Briguglio/Avellino paper points at the need for tourism policy to consider mitigating the negative impacts of tourism. This could address not just the well-being of the local residents but also the tourist experience. The democratisation of tourism development through encouraging the active participation of the residents suffering the impact in our communities, opine Briguglio/Avellino, could be the way forward. The authors do not go in detail as to what the “democratisation of tourism development” would actually mean. It is, however, understood that the decision-making process of tourism development should be subjected to more public scrutiny by the community suffering from the impact and, that the views of the community are not only heard but acted upon.

Through the democratisation of tourism development, the conflicting interests and agendas involved in tourism must be addressed. As a result, the short-term gains of tourism entrepreneurs would be compelled to face the reality of social responsibility, as well as cultural and environmental costs. So far, the tourism operators pocket the profits and we, the rest, face the impacts.

Tourism is not an activity that happens in a vacuum. It takes place in a community of persons, who should be assured that their quality of life is not impacted negatively upon as a result of the experience. Tourism is not just about numbers of tourists, or the millions of euros spent or a contribution to the Gross National Product: it is also about our quality of life.

Sustainable tourism is primarily about people – not about profit! Is it not about time that those feeling the impacted are involved in ensuring that their lives are not made miserable by others whose vision is limited to euros on the horizon?

The democratisation of touristic development is the only way forward.

 

published on the Malta Independent on Sunday: 11 August 2019

In Tourism – small is beautiful too

First published in 1973, Ernst Schumacher’s Small is Beautiful – economics as if people mattered has always presented a challenge to politicians and economic planners. It contrasts to, and in many instances it actually is, the direct antithesis of the “economies of scale” and as such it is often discarded by those who dream of quick results.

Schumacher, an economist by training, had one specific message: the promotion of people-centred economics. Our economics are profit-focused, with decisions being constantly made on profitability criteria, rather than on human needs. People should come before profits.

Human needs as well as environmental impact should be factored in at the drawing-board stage of all economic decisions. Reading through plans and strategies on the development of tourism in Malta over the years, one inevitably reaches the conclusion that these plans and strategies are focused on hotels, as if nothing else mattered. Tourism is, however, much more than hotels and the hotel industry.

It is only fairly recently that some thought is being given to boutique hotels and agri-tourism: alternative, small-scale tourism opportunities.  Yet much more needs to be done if we are to move along the path of sustainable tourism which, whilst being practically harmless environmentally, can be of considerable benefit not just to our economy but also to our families, in particular those in small communities.

Earlier this week, I was alerted by residents in Lija to an application submitted to MEPA [PA2822/15] to convert a large townhouse in a residential area into a boutique hotel. This proposed hotel would have nine bedrooms with ancillary facilities and it covers a total area of 1,110 square metres, including a garden. When finished, it could cater for a maximum of twenty guests.

Being small, such a boutique hotel would  fit in easily in any of our towns or villages. Its impact would be compatible with that generated by three or four families in the community. Being generally family-run helps considerably to give a human face to this tourism outlet as well as offering excellent service.

However the local residents are  worried about the compatibility of this development with the residential nature of the area. Their worries are not just about the impact of the hotel’s services but more on the possible spinoffs such as whether the bar and restaurant, as well as the swimming pool  – to be constructed in what is currently the garden – would be open to people who are  not actually staying in the hotel. The residents are worried about noise pollution well into the silent hours, the generation of increased traffic and subsequent parking problems – problems they associate with such spin-off activities.

The residents cannot be blamed for their concerns because no one has explained what the practical operational limits of boutique hotels will be – and this is because there are no MEPA guidelines on the subject. The various applications for the provision of boutique hotels that MEPA has processed in the recent past are considered within existing general policies. Likewise, perusal of the Malta Tourism Authority’s website does not reveal any guidelines to help prospective developers of boutique hotels navigate the relatively unchartered waters of such an activity in a residential area.

A number of local councils are similarly concerned because, although they understand and appreciate the benefits to the local economy of encouraging the use of large properties as boutique hotels they are apprehensive about the collateral damage to community life. Large townhouses as well as historical buildings in our towns and villages can be given a new life by being converted to boutique hotels but great care must be taken to ensure that this development is not driven by economics alone. It needs to be community driven and local councils in particular need to be partners in this drive to develop an untapped area of sustainable tourism.

If handled properly, it is potentially a win-win situation but the concerns of the residential communities must be addressed immediately. If this is done, tourism will take a gigantic step forward as it will develop a human face.

published in The Malta Independent on Sunday – 23 August 2015

L-agri-turiżmu

L-agri-turiżmu ma jfissirx li jkollna l-lukandi fil-kampanja. L-agri-turiżmu hu ġabra ta’ attivitajiet u servizzi li l-komunitajiet rurali joffru biex jiġbdu l-viżitaturi. Dan it-turiżmu hu kkaraterizzat minn negozju ta’ daqs żgħir ġeneralment immexxi  b’mod dirett mis-sidien infushom (il-bdiewa) u jkun sitwat f’żoni fejn l-agrikultura hi l-użu predominanti tal-art.

M’hemmx agri-turiżmu jekk m’hemmx ukoll l-agrikultura.

L-agri-turiżmu għandu għaldaqstant tlett karatteristċi prinċipali: iseħħ flimkien mal-ħidma agrikola, jagħti esperjenza tal-ħidma agrikola lit-turist u joħloq iktar ħidma utli u li tirrendi lin-negozju agrikolu.

L-agri-turiżmu  ma jieħux post l-agrikultura iżda hu prodott ieħor tal-istess agrikultura.  It-turist  f’dan l-ambjent għal żmien qasir jifforma parti mill-komunita’ agrikola hu ukoll għaliex jgħix għal xi ġranet f’nofs komunita’ agrikola ħajja. L-agri-turiżmu hu turiżmu sostenibbli għax l-impatti tiegħu huma posittivi. L-impatti ambjentali huma minimi. L-impatti soċjali huma tajbin. L-impatti ekonomiċi huma eċċellenti. L –impatti kulturali tiegħu joħolqu rabta mal-komunita agrikola. It-turist m’huwiex sempliċiment qed jingħata servizz iżda għal żmien qasir isir parti mill-familja agrikola.

L-agri-turiżmu hu mod kif il-bdiewa jistgħu iżidu fid-dħul tagħhom u fl-istess ħin jibqgħu jaħdmu fir-raba’ tagħhom stess.

Fil-pajjiż ġar tagħna l-Italja, l-agri-turiżmu ġie rikonoxxut fl-1985. Illum għandhom agri-turiżmu żviluppat u varjat. Fl-2010 fl-Italja madwar 20,000 operatur agri-turistiku bejthom ipprovdew 200,000 sodda lis-suq turistiku Taljan. Offrew lit-turist fl-Italja prodott varjat:  minn razzett żgħir immexxi minn familja sa servizz ta’ lussu. Kif jidher miċ-ċifri l-medja hi ta’ 10 sodod għal kull operatur. Ċara ħafna li l-operaturi tat-turiżmu agrikolu huma operaturi żgħar li filwaqt li jibqgħu għaddejjin bil-ħidma agrikola normali tagħhom iżidu ftit fix-xogħol billi jipprovdu ukoll is-servizz ta’ ospitalita’.

Il-MEPA għadha kif ħabbret illi ser tikkonsolida f’dokument wieħed il-politika ta’ l-użu tal-art barra miż-żoni ta’ żvilupp  kif ukoll dik dwar l-agrikoltura. Fost l-iskopijiet li trid tilħaq hemm li jkun inkoraġġit l-agri-turiżmu. Minnu innifsu dan hu skop tajjeb dejjem sakemm ma jintużax biex jiġġustifika iktar żvilupp ta’ art barra miż-żona ta’ żvilupp.

Hu necessarju li l-bini eżstenti fiż-żoni agrikoli tagħna nagħtuh użu li jgħin lill-komunita agrikola tissaħħaħ u per konsegwenza tkun f’posizzjoni aħjar li tħares l-art li tinħadem. Hemm bosta binjiet agrikoli abbandunati li jistgħu jerġgħu jingħataw il-ħajja kemm għall-ġid ta’ l-agrikultura innifisha kif ukoll għal turiżmu agrikolu. Huwa eżerċizzju iżda li jirrikjedi l-għaqal u l-paċenzja.

Jekk isir sewwa jagħti tifisira ġdida lill-karriera agrikola. Joħloq skop għal iktar investiment f’dan il-qasam u jiġbed’ lura lejn l-art lil bosta minn ulied il-bdiewa li dabbru rashom snin ilu. Fuq kollox jista’ jagħti l-ħajja lill-bini agrikolu li ilu mitluq għal snin twal.

Il-protagonist ta’ din il-bidla jrid ikun il-bidwi li filwaqt illi jibqa’ jaħdem l-art jew irabbi l-bhejjem jibda bil-mod joffri servizzi ġodda.

Dan hu l-mod li bih nimxu l-quddiem.

Ippubblikat fuq iNews nhar it-Tlieta 17 ta’ Settembru 2013

Reconnecting to Our Roots

published on August 15, 2009

by Carmel Cacopardo

_____________________________________________________________

Being Green entails a fundamentally different approach to politics from that of mainstream political parties. The point of departure being recognition of the fact that man does not form part of an economy but of an eco-system. Ecology establishes natural limits for our actions. However, it also provides solutions for a number of the problems we encounter.

Our society can be organised in a much better way than it is at present.

The building industry continues to produce residential units while a substantial number estimated at around 70,000 currently lie vacant.

Around 300,000 cars glut our roads. Given the small size of the Maltese islands, mobility can be more easily ensured through an efficient public transport system supplemented by other means including cycling. Yet continuously our society defies reason and without fail selects the worse option.

During the past two years in Mexico City, in the densely populated neighbourhood of Iztapalapa, a “nature roof” was created at the Belisario Dominguez Hospital. The project director Tania Müller when interviewed stated that “having direct and visual contact with a green area helps a great deal in patient recovery”. This “nature roof” in an intensely developed urban area is also proving beneficial to the medical staff who, like their colleagues around the globe, are constantly subject to stressful situations.

Nature has a therapeutic effect. Man is constantly searching for ways of re-establishing a lasting link in particular in situations where the “natural” link with nature has been eradicated. A “nature roof” may be a measure of last resort in a densely urbanised area but it is no substitute for the real thing.

A study published in May 2008 by the University of Exeter on behalf of the UK Charity LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming) concluded that a two hour visit to a farm can be more beneficial than the same time spent in a gym. The study entitled Feed Your Senses: The Effects Of Visiting A LEAF Farm concludes that nature has a calming effect in that it assists in stress reduction. This is beneficial not only to those in a good state of health but more so to those whose mental health is an issue. In some cases it can also be an addition or maybe even a substitute to conventional therapy, doing away with dependence on anti-depression treatment through the use of prescription drugs. MIND, a leading mental health charity in the UK, launching its report entitled Eco-therapy: A Green Agenda For Mental Health considers eco-therapy as an important part of the future of mental health. Eco-therapy is a developing branch of psychotherapy and involves the utilisation of nature for “people’s psychological and spiritual health and well-being”. Now this can take various forms: walks in the countryside, cycling tours, visits to farms, taking up residence periodically within a farming or fishing community. All seek to re-establish our “lost links” with nature and have been found to reduce stress, anger, anxiety, mental fatigue and various problems of mental health.

Agri-tourism offers such an experience too. Unfortunately, agri-tourism and its twin eco-tourism are not given much importance in the Tourism Master Plan For The Maltese Islands, which is more of a business plan for the hotel industry than a tourism master plan. Agri-tourism is not only a sustainable alternative to the building of farmhouses for urban dwellers fleeing from the stress of work but also a welcome reinforcement of the economy of the agricultural community.

Developing a healthy agri-touristic industry is not just beneficial for tourism and agriculture; if properly managed it could in the long term reduce part of the costs of the National Health Service in the sense that the agri-touristic infrastructure can also be utilised for medical purposes, rehabilitating patients with problems of mental health. This however requires an holistic view of policy.

The National Commission for Sustainable Development, which (to put it mildly) is known not to have met in the recent past, provides the framework within which policy can be viewed in an holistic manner. It also provides for a beneficial interaction between the different areas of policy which could lead to initiatives enhancing the quality of life for all. The Commission has the potential of being a laboratory of ideas to develop sustainable development policies. Such a useful tool is not being put to use at the present time.

The closer we get to the end of the current recession the more important it is that the National Commission for Sustainable Development develops the role of a “critical friend” of the Public Administration, developing ideas and subjecting the ideas and proposals of others to a sustainability benchmark. It is the only way to re-establish the links with our roots.

Runway għal Għawdex ?

 

 

 

Donnu li d-diskussjoni dwar runway għal Għawdex qatt ma tieqaf.

 

L-argument li qiegħed jinġieb huwa li hu ferm iktar ekonomiku li topera b’ajruplan żgħir li jġorr madwar 19-il ruħ milli b’helicopter. Allura xi piloti u oħrajn midħla tal-industrija qed jipproponu runway ta’ 1000 metru. Qed jgħidu li dan jibbenefika lit-turiżmu !

 

Interessanti li xi ħadd jispjega kif dan jinkwadra fil-pjan ta’ trasformazzjoni ta’ Għawdex fi gżira ekologika. Mhux aħjar li jsir sforz ikbar biex Għawdex isir ċentru ta’ turiżmu sostenibbli ? X’qiegħed isir biex ikun sviluppat l-agrituriżmu f’Għawdex ? Diġa jeżisti imma fuq skala żgħira. Imma ma jidhirx li hemm l-ebda inkoraġġiment mill-awtorita. Għax l-emfasi qegħda fuq it-turiżmu tal-lukandi.

 

 

Jinġiebu ħafna argumenti fuq airstips f’Lampedusa, Pantalleria u l-Gżejjer Griegi, imma ma jgħidux illi dawn huma l-bogħod mhux ħażin mill-eqreb art. Imbagħad wara kollox issa beda jaħdem l-airplane. Mhux aħjar naraw ftit kif jista’ jitjieb dan is-servizz bl-inqas impatti ambjentali, milli nippruvaw neqirdu iktar raba’ ?  Ma nqerditx biżżejjed matul is-snin ?

 

 

Imbagħad hemm argument ieħor li ftit jitkellmu dwaru. Malta u Għawdex kemm jifilħu turisti ? L-infrastruttura tagħna tiflaħ il-kwantita ta’ turisti li nitkellmu dwarha?

 

Ejja naraw ftit x’nifhmu b’turiżmu sostenibbli. Xi jfisser fir-realta’ għalina ilkoll. Mhux għal Għawdex biss, iżda għal Malta ukoll.