10 comments so far.Tourists do not want an Urban Jungle of tall buildings – Readers Letter
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Dear Sirs,
“I read in your news, and have seen many articles on the internet and social network sites, that the Maltese government is considering allowing owners of 4 and 5 star hotels to raise the height of their hotels without a set limit. From what I’ve seen, heard, and read, this appears to be an unpopular decision with many of the Maltese people, and, the tourists that you are trying to encourage!
Tourists come to Gozo and Malta for what is characteristic of your islands, not just the sea and sand, but the beautiful old architecture and landscapes. If they wanted an urban jungle of tall buildings and modern architecture, they would go somewhere elsewhere.
Tall buildings may suit a handful of hoteliers now, but when their skyscrapers start throwing the beaches and streets of your towns into deep shade, every hotel will suffer, as tourists seek other resorts where the beaches enjoy the sun all day long.
This shading will be worst from October to April, which is when you need tourists most in Gozo and Malta.
Instead of focusing on bringing tourists in the low season (as you used to do in the past) you are now proposing to build more bedrooms that will be vacant in winter, leading to a price-war as hotels will undercut each other just to cover costs, and the Maltese and Gozitan economies will most certainly suffer.
Malta was my home during my early teenage years and like many of us Brits I fell in love with the Island. I have not yet been lucky enough to return, but when I am, I would not be looking to stay in a high-rise multi-story hotel, or, on the whole, expect the island to cater to anything other than what it can and has been over its history.
The Maltese Islands are a global treasure and even though I have no problem with progress I am passionate that it should not be at the expense of the past.
Malta has already suffered as it is not what it used to be due to over-development. All you need is a few more cranes, traffic jams, noise and dirt to really send the tourists to other unspoilt destinations!”
Yours sincerely Denise Favager,
Plymouth,
UK.
That’s right Denise !!!
But you know MONEY makes the world go around – especially here on Malta .
That’s the only thinking – what a shame .
Under the GonziPN Government the landscape of the islands was ruined forever in order to please the developers who poured money into their election coffers. Not content with that as a lasting legacy of his reign Gonzi decided to destroy forever the entrance to the beautiful capital of Malta, Valletta. The Labour party under Joseph Muscat despite their pre election promises appear to be continuing down the same path with this idea of extra floors on existing hotels probably one of their stupider ideas. Personally I wouldn’t want to be in a Maltese hotel that had extra floors added to it as some form of afterthought, given that the original foundations were designed to handle x floors as opposed to x++ floors. Malta seems determined to drive tourists away and that will happen given the number of available destinations which actually care about their history and environment and understand what tourists want.
all Ive seen in these last few months is NON STOP building in Gozo same old story they have to please who put them in power….however hotels may need extra rooms what is important is that everyone who has permits puts SOMETHING BACK be it a garden or green up a derelict part in that area…ugliness should be forbidden hidden with trees plants and regular cleaning…so much waste the biccerija area Victoria is all empty why has not someone done it up and other places left to ruin this is serious management on such a tiny island tourists and all of us dont want jungle NO ……
Such a shame! And shame on…. whoever is reponsible for disfiguring the Islands.
And what about those 70 000 +++ empty dwellings & buildings, some half-completed and with more underway?
And now sky scrappers hotels!!! Whereas 2/3 of Marsalforn’s (to name only one) ugly buildings are empty all year around. Does anyone benefit from that kind of situation?
What’s the plan? Is there a vision behind all that or just plain, crude GREED?
I would think Maltese and Gozitans love their Islands (even more or in a different way than us foreigners) and want to protect their treasures.
And YES, as you said James, whatever it is that they build at high cost (EU money?) at the entrance of Valetta is a disgrace. HOW could they have produce such a piece of garbage in such a unique historical site??? People visiting can’t beleive their eyes.
So what have Heritage Malta and UNESCO got to do with and say about that eyesore everybody loathes?
STOP THE CARNAGE, please.
OOps I meant “piece of garbage” of course….
And, as Eliza said, it could well be taken for some sort of penitentiary’s gates!!!!
As much as I love living here and the people I have to agree with every sentiment expressed above. Such a shame that what is happening is having the opposite effect of attracting tourists and generating income. I am very fortunate to be where I am, which is not overly developed, otherwise I would go.
An American tourist stated that after visiting Malta for the first time, he thought it looked like an overbuilt prison . He said he felt this way because it was back to back construction
eliza from where this american tourist was from New york city
I’m also an American, born and bred . He was also an American. He worked in New York City but he was from the midwestern part of the United States. I had once mentioned that my parents were born there and he told me that he couldn’t wait to go see Malta for the very first time . When I asked him what he thought when he got back ,he looked saddened and thats when he gave me his opinion.
Well written, so true. Sadly the over development is killing the goose that lays the golden egg. Watch Malta closely, the bubble on the market will burst. In Malta, where people can buy citizenship, money rules over common sense.