Repositioning Malta as a cultural heritage destination

Abstract

Purpose -This paper aims to examine how Malta seeks to reposition itself as a ''cultural heritage'' tourist destination. After pursuing an expansion in its tourist industry in the 1970s, by the 1990s a sense of crisis prevails, due to the realization that irreversible environmental degradation is damaging the islands with regard to both the cultural heritage and ecological environment. This case study of Malta focuses on the conditions that prompt a policy of environmental intervention. The paper shows how a policy of change results from three main factors: pressures brought from various stakeholders, the availability of funding, and a sense that failure to act will have serious detrimental consequences.Design/methodology/approach -The paper gives an account of recent historical background to explain the case of Malta's tourism. Governmental policy documents, press articles, promotional tourist literature, interviews with experts, and relevant stakeholders in the cultural and educational sphere form the basis for the authors' interpretation.Findings -Governmental policy of investment in the environment is subject to resistance to change due to inertia, the costs of intervention and opposition from entrenched business interests. The role of opinion leaders, pressure groups and of volunteer-run environmental NGOs is critical in exerting pressure on the government to adopt a policy of intervention to safeguard the environment and heritage as well as providing expertise and constituting agencies to whom the government can entrust the implementation of environmental projects.Originality/value -The case of Malta as a small nation state offers indications that are not easily transferable but which shows the role of different stakeholders in the implementation of a policy of change.

Enhancing “Places” Through Archaeological Heritage in Sun, Sand, and Sea Touristic Coastal Areas: A Case Study From Mallorca (Spain)

“…Furthermore, the tourists who visited Malta due to its history and culture rose from 19% in 1991 to 32% in 1996, although 58% of visitors declared that good weather was the main reason for their choice (Dodds 2007;Markwick 1999). However, the largest benefit was probably that its cultural heritage granted Malta a peculiarity which differentiated it from its competitors in terms of touristic destinations, an advantage which the sun-holidays did not have (Foxell and Trafford 2010;Markwick 1999).…”

Culture, Technology, and Tourism (CTT) Theory:An Ontological Perspective

“…Borg (2017) elaborate the relationships between the Government and the other stakeholders as collaboration to engage cultural heritage activities. Foxell and de Trafford (2010) examine the significance of hospitality, the transport system, and stakeholder involvement in the repositioning of heritage destination. The tourism industry derives significant economic benefits from cultural heritage (George 2010).…”

Urban heritage and cultural tourism development: a case study of Valletta’s role in Malta’s tourism

“…There was little or no effort to diversify away from the apparently dependable British market. Yet a severe downturn in tourist arrivals in the early 1980s exposed this over-dependence on British mass-market tourism (Foxell and de Trafford, 2010).…”

“…Repositioning Malta as a destination for cultural tourism was, however, not considered feasible because this potential segment was too small compared to the overall masstourism market. The advice was for Malta to promote combined cultural and sun holidays (Foxell and de Trafford, 2010). Since the early nineties, the Maltese government sought to diversify the destination tourist product to include cultural and heritage tourism, with these often seen as niche tourism products.…”