The effects of tourism on the quality of life in Malta

Abstract

In 2018, Malta recorded a record number of inbound tourists, amounting to 2.6 million individuals from around the globe. This is double the amount recorded just after the peak of the financial crisis in 2010, where 1.3 million tourists were recorded. This advent of tourists means that inflows of funds to Malta from abroad are accelerating too, with €2.1 billion euros being spent in tourism receipts in 2018 - compared to the level in 2010, which was just under €1 billion. A higher inflow of funds is an injection to an economy’s circular flow of income - giving the Government access to more funds which it can distribute amongst the population to ensure an enhanced quality of life for the population in general. However, this does not necessarily translate into an equal enjoyment of benefits by the entire population - whilst it is worth factoring in the externalities that tourism brings about with it, such as the strain on infrastructure, overcrowding in certain areas and higher amounts of refuse and rubbish, which may impair domestic residents’ quality of life in general. The aim of this study is to analyse how exactly is the Maltese population being affected by this influx of tourists, and whether or not it has translated into a better quality of life for all. After disseminating a quantitative survey on social media, and holding interviews with two key stakeholders in the industry, the results may seem a bit ambiguous, as a large part of the population seems to have mixed feelings on how tourism has affected their quality of life. Yet, amongst those whose income is directly related to the tourism industry, an overwhelming majority responded to have experienced a positive influence in their workplace. Therefore, it could be that the benefits of tourism are being concentrated on this cohort of the population. Notwithstanding the economic benefit that is enjoyed as a result of higher tourism numbers, it is important to consider the carrying capacity of tourism that our infrastructure can hold, as to not reach a point over which a negative experience can result due to over tourism. It could also point to the fact that the population is not well informed of the overall benefits that can be enjoyed from tourism, and is just oblivious to their surroundings.