More than seventy Gozitan students have begun courses in the Institute for Tourism Studies in Gozo. With the start of another school year, the Gozo Institue continued with a number of courses which are related to food preparation, service of food and beverage and other areas which are related to service in the tourism sector.

The Minister for Gozo, Giovanna Debono and Dolores Cristina, the Minister of Education, Employment and the Family, made a visit to the Institute where they met with students and teachers. They were accompanied by Frederick Azzopardi, Parliamentary Assistant within the Ministry for Gozo and members of the Board of Governors of the Institute for Tourism Studies in Malta as well as members of the Advisory Board of the ITS Gozo.

The Minister for Gozo said that the construction of this new Institute was one of the first projects undertaken in Gozo through co-financing from the programme of European Union funds for Malta 2004-2006 and that the investment had cost more than € 1.8 million. “It is an investment made in aid of education of young students as well as in aid of the tourism industry in Gozo,” the Minister said. She said that the modern training facilities enable the best learning opportunities and skills for the participants. At the same time that the institute is giving opportunities for the labour market in Gozo, it has also provided fully skilled manpower to work in a sector that it so important to the economic prosperity of the island. The resources in the Institute are also used in a programme to promote healthy eating and lifestyles among students of secondary schools within the Gozo College, the Gozo Minister concluded.

Dolores Cristina explained that tourism is a sector of great importance to Malta and Gozo and therefore it is essential for everyone to ensure that the tourism product is a strong one. In that respect students who come from the Institute for Tourism Studies in Malta and Gozo should encourage everyone by their lead, thereby increasing public awareness and strengthen the competitiveness of the sector of Maltese tourism. The Minister praised the collaboration between the Institutes in Malta and Gozo and explained how it is beneficial to students and will work towards their future success.Tthe certification of the biggest success in this area comes from the excellent reports obtained by Maltese students who go on to gain experience working and training abroad, Dolores Cristina said.

They said that in the next few days students participating in courses at second level as well as others who have completed courses within the Institute for Tourism Studies in Gozo, will be able to apply for a number of opportunities to gain experience in hotels in other European countries. A group of students have recently returned to Gozo after a similar experience with other students in f’Abruzzo, Italy.

Part-time courses are scheduled to begin later this year. These will include food preparation, the food service and wine.

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