On Friday 29 March 2019 the Institute for Travel, Tourism and Culture at the University of Malta, together with the Malta Tourism Society, launched the guidelines for a new concept in tourism.
The research project to introduce the concept of Community-Based Tourism to the Maltese Islands has been running for the past ten years, first through the Ministry for Tourism, Culture and the Environment (2009-2013), then as a research project in collaboration with the Institute for Travel, Tourism and Culture at the University of Malta (from 2014). This project is managed through the Malta Tourism Society.
Tourism is essentially a socio-cultural activity that brings people together as a learning process, primarily to share knowledge. Yet tourism also offers all the key stakeholders – the local authority, the local business and the local community – an opportunity to profit from the social, economic, cultural and environmental benefits.
Over the past year, the research team has been developing a booklet – Guidelines to the setting up and managing of community-based tours.
This booklet brings together the results of more than eight years of research and experience working with local councils in Malta and Gozo to study the process for introducing a new concept that adds value to the visitor experience – this is the community-based tour – the tour that helps us all. Visitors meet the faces and not just see the places. Community-based tours will enhance the commitment, trust and synergy between all key stakeholders and it will also improve that sense of belonging needed to secure the identity and civic pride in all localities.
This project was created to introduce a new concept that adds value to the tourist experience. On Friday, 29 March, an event was held at the Old Parish Church of Lija to launch the guidelines for community-based tours.
The opening address was delivered by Dr Marie Avellino, Director of the Institute for Travel, Tourism and Culture, who emphasised the importance of developing alternative and sustainable tourism markets such as Community-Based Tourism. Mr Julian Zarb, Founder-President of the Malta Tourism Society spoke of the need for greater emphasis on linking theory to practice to make things happen. Sustainability and alternative tourism can only happen when this bridging is achieved and this will only occur if there is a real sense of ownership of this project by all stakeholders.
The Malta Tourism Society and the Institute for Travel, Tourism and Culture will now be embarking on the development and implementation of a community-based tour in the village of Lija as well as the adjoining villages of Balzan and Attard.
The Society would welcome any suggestions, comments and enquiries concerning the community-based tourism research project. All enquiries can be channelled to Julian Zarb by email or by telephone 99167805.