The Gozo Tourism Association (GTA) recently held its annual general meeting. The Association represents various operators in the tourism sector on the island of Gozo.

Present for the meeting were the Minister for Gozo, Giovanna Debono and Mario de Marco, Parliamentary Secretary for Tourism, Environment and Culture. They said during the meeting that a priority of the government is the strengthening of the tourism sector in Gozo.

During this meeting Mr Paul Scicluna and Mr Joe Muscat, who occupied the posts of President and Secretary respectively of the GTA last year, gave an account of work undertaken by the Association and also expressed the viewpoints of its members, both in successes and challenges within the tourism sector in Gozo. Among the items mentioned was the 2 percent increase in foreign tourists who visited Gozo in 2010 compared with the previous year together with an increase of 18 percent in tourists from the home market.

The members discussed the need to address the particular challenges faced by the Gozitan tourism sector particularly in strengthening tourism niches that can attract tourists during the lean months of the year, which will hlep to reduce the negative effect associated with the element of seasonality which is experienced more strongly in Gozo.

The Minister for Gozo praised the commitment of the various councils which had worked with the GTA since it was founded. She went on to say that work between the Ministry and the GTA had resulted in an enhancement of the tourism product in Gozo and that several projects including advertising in Malta for the domestic market, as well as ongoing staff training through the ITS in Gozo, along with events being held all helped the tourism sector in Gozo.

The Minister went on to say how all this has been reinforced by initiatives taken in recent months including the establishment of the Directorate of Tourism and Economic Development within the Ministry for Gozo and the allocation of € 500,000 which was announced in the last budget that will continue to address the promotion of Gozo as a distinct tourist destination.

Minister Debono, said that the Ministry would continue to enhance the operation of the GTA Gozo through financial allocation to assist the CEO that the GTA employs on a full-time basis. ‘We believe that this will be effective to enhance collaboration between the Ministry for Gozo and the Gozitan tourism sector so that they can achieve more positive results and protect the jobs of many Gozitan families,” the Minister said.

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