Socio-anthropomorphic strategies for competitive advantage

Abstract

Malta is highly dependent on its tourism industry and recent years have witnessed stagnation in tourist arrivals and foreign earnings. This paper aims at presenting an overview of socio-anthropomorphic strategies that have been employed (knowingly or otherwise) by family-run Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) who operate within the Educational Tourism (ET) sector, a sector that has been overshadowed by its sub-sector, the English Language Schools (ELT) niche. The study concludes that the culture of how the tourist product is sold or marketed, has to change, and this will call for a change or shift in the present culture or mentality. The results show that Malta is ideally situated as a hub for Educational Tourism. It can easily capitalise on its social and cultural capital to increase its economic capital and in so doing provides a space for enterprise and innovation. The sector has a high value-added component which makes it ideal for Malta; however it will also argue that the potential developmental impacts will not be maximised if inappropriate management, infrastructural support and adequate research are not undertaken.