A Gozo Tourism Association online survey among its members has confirmed the “positive effect on the business generated by the Gozitan tourism establishments during the January to September period, showing encouraging signs that 2022 is going to be really and truly the recovery year.”
The GTA survey carried out over the last two weeks, focused on the performance of the Gozitan tourism establishments during the first nine months of 2022, the summer season as well as on issues related to the budget 2023.
The survey found that 69% of the establishments reported more business than the previous nine months of 2021, with 21% stating that their performance was equal to that of the first nine months of 2021, while 10% reported less business than 2021.
The GTA noted that this improvement was corroborated further when 62% of respondents declared that the performance of their respective businesses during the summer months was better than that of the same period of 2021, with 28% stating that the performance of their business was equal to that of the previous year.
The respondents of this survey were also asked their opinion about the Budget for 2023.
The survey found that more than one third of participants, 35% declared that their businesses will be affected positively as the Government is to continue subsiding the energy bills. While 31% stated that not enough direct measures towards tourism were included in the budget for 2023.
14% stated that the COLA wage increase is a “tough measure” for their establishment. When respondents were asked if they will be increasing their prices and rates to cover for the COLA wage increase, 45% stated that “they will definitely increase them, while an another 45% declared that no increases will be introduced to cover for the COLA.”
The majority of the tourism operators, or 79%, once again confirmed that the Budget measure which will affect their business positively was the energy bills subsidy. While 10% of the survey participants welcomed positively the cash grant fund for small and medium enterprises, the reminder mentioned the rent subsidies.
When asked which Budget measure related to Gozo will affect their business positively, 67% of respondents chose the scheme to attract tourists for long stays during the winter months. While 11% of the survey participants stated that the building of the rural airfield will be beneficial to their business. Other positive measures with regards to Gozo were those connected with the public service obligation contract of the fast ferry 4%, and the funds allocated to Gozo for urban development 8%.
The GTA said that “finally, from this survey it transpired that 69% of respondents are envisaging the same level of business for 2023, with another 13% predicting better results in 2023 on this year. While 10% stated that due to several issues including inflation they are predicting less business on 2023 when compared to 2022.”
this survey from Gozitan tourism operators covered a spread across the tourism sector on Gozo. The categories that filled in the survey were coming from the Accommodation sectors, Restaurants, Diving Centres, Tourist Attractions, Transport, Tour operators, DMCs, Travel Agencies, Real Estate and Tourism Consultancy firms.
This survey carried out with Gozitan tourism operators covered a spread across the tourism sector on Gozo, the GTA said. The categories that filled in the survey were coming from the Accommodation sectors, Restaurants, Diving Centres, Tourist Attractions, Transport, Tour operators, DMCs, Travel Agencies, Real Estate and Tourism Consultancy firms.
File photo: Gozo News/Alain Salvary