The impact of culture through the performing arts events on tourism : the case for Malta and Gozo

Abstract

Performing arts have always existed in a form or another. With the course of time and development of human civilization, performing arts became an integral part of societies and a prime motivator of cultural tourists. The aim of this study is to understand ‘the impact of culture through performing arts events on tourism in Malta and Gozo’. In order to identify the impact, the study has carried out a series of interviews with the key stakeholders of the tourism industry and the cultural sector of Malta. Moreover, an exclusive research has also been done on the existing literature on the subject matter. After analyzing the interviews and the literature, it has been found that culture or more specifically, culture through performing arts events, does have an impact on tourism in Malta and Gozo. The impact varies according to the type of events, target audience, promotion and marketing of the events and the season of the year. The research has also identified issues that are considered to be obstacles for developing cultural tourism further on the Maltese Islands and proposed recommendations that might help to minimize the obstacles and better the performing arts sector of cultural tourism in Malta.