A new economic model in tourism

At a press conference in Floriana today, ADPD Chairperson Carmel Cacopardo and spokesperson and Deputy Secretary General Sandra Gauci spoke about the effects of the pandemic, and climate change on the tourism industry. 

Sandra Gauci noted that it is a shame that the hoteliers’ association is once again demanding special treatment, when they themselves have caused their own problems. “The MHRA has called for the exemption of workers in the tourism sector from income tax on overtime. But they forget to tell us the real reasons why some of their workers chose to leave the sector. These workers are so poorly paid, with a large number of them on zero-hour contracts that they do not even reach the income brackets to pay income tax. The MHRA is asking for schemes and help from the government to entice workers to remain in the sector, when in fact it is their working conditions which is the problem, poor wages and zero-hour contracts. It is an insult to ask for special exemptions on overtime such that workers will have to work for long hours to perhaps make a decent income. Hoteliers want the government to increase their workers’ income through tax exemptions on overtime instead of through paying decent wages. Workers should not be treated as slaves. Government must ensure that working conditions in the tourism sector are improved, and that zero hour contracts are eradicated. Any aid to the sector must be linked to better conditions of work and a change in the business model to one of sustainable tourism.” 

Carmel Cacopardo spoke about the amount of tourists visiting Malta in 2019, to the detriment of the quality of life of the residents of Malta and Gozo. “Malta cannot go back to almost three million tourists a year – we cannot sustain these numbers. We must learn from the Covid-19 crisis. The lesson is that we must reduce the country’s dependence on mass tourism. The next challenge – indeed the challenge that is already with us is climate change. 

One of the challenges is the shift towards a zero-carbon economy. The European Commission has just announced measures that include a carbon tax on aviation fuel, to push for a transition to a more sustainable European economy. Although Minister Miriam Dalli is claiming that Malta is a special case, in fact it is not in Malta’s interests to oppose measures to combat climate change precisely because Malta itself is being affected by this change. It is pertinent to point out that amongst the effects of climate change is an increase in sea levels with the consequence of adverse effects on coastal tourism infrastructure. The climate does not give a hoot about Malta’s supposed ‘specialness’. 

Despite some small concessions that Malta may acquire, it is obvious that the economic model, including in tourism, needs to change. The industry needs to adapt to the new normal of a world facing the global emergency of climate change. The number of tourists needs to be reduced to a more sustainable level – it is not possible to go back to the three million tourists a year. It is essential that precarious zero-hour work in the sector is eradicated once and for all. Workers should be guaranteed a fixed amount of working hours and not depend on their employer’s charity. Serious, long-term planning is needed, instead of the management by crisis and the dishing out of vouchers to tourists we have seen this year. ”

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Mudell ekonomiku ġdid fit-turiżmu

Waqt konferenza stampa fil-Floriana illum, iċ-Chairperson ta’ ADPD Carmel Cacopardo u l-kelliema u Deputat Segretarju Ġenerali, Sandra Gauci tkellmu dwar l-effetti tal-pandemija, u anke tal-bidla fil-klima fuq il-politika dwar it-turiżmu.

Sandra Gauci innotat li huwa ta’ għajb li l-assoċjazzjoni tal-lukandiera qegħdin għal darb’oħra jippretendu trattament speċjali meta ħafna mill-problemi li għandhom ġabuhom huma stess b’idejhom. “L-MHRA talbet għall-eżenzjoni tal-ħaddiema fis-settur turistiku mit-taxxa fuq id-dħul fuq is-sahra. Imma nsew jgħidulna r-raġunijiet vera għaliex xi ħaddiema fis-settur telqu mis-settur. Dawn il-ħaddiema tant huma mħallsa ħażin, b’numru kbir minnhom fuq kuntratti ‘zero-hour’ li lanqas għandhom dħul biżżejjed biex iħallsu taxxa fuq id-dħul. L-MHRA qed jitolbu skemi u għajnuna mill-gvern biex ma jitilfux ħaddiema meta huma filfatt il-kundizzjonijiet tax-xogħol ta’ skjavi li gerrxu lill-ħaddiema. Huwa nsult li issa jridu lil ħaddiema jaħdmu siegħat twal biex forsi jkollhom dħul diċenti – u l-lukandiera iridu d-dħul jiġi mill-eżenzjoni tat-taxxi u mhux minn pagi diċenti. Hemm bżonn li l-gvern jassigura li jitjiebu l-kundizzjonijiet tax-xogħol fis-settur turistiku, li jinqerdu iż-‘zero hour contracts’, iġifieri l-prekarjat, kif dejjem sostnejna aħna tal-ADPD. Kull għajnuna lis-settur għandha tkun marbuta ma’ kundizzjonijiet aħjar għall-ħaddiema u li l-mudell tan-negozju jinbidel għal wieħed ta’ turiżmu sostenibbli u mhux turiżmu tal-massa.”

Carmel Cacopardo ittratta l-ammont esaġerat ta’ turisti li żaru Malta fl-2019, għas-skapitu tal-kwalita tal-ħajja tar-residenti ta’ Malta u Għawdex. “Malta ma tistx tmur lura għal kważi tleit miljun turist fis-sena – ma nifilħux għal dan l-ammont esaġerat. Irridu nitgħallmu mill-kriżi tal-Covid-19. It-tagħlima hi li rridu nnaqsu d-dipendenza tal-pajjiż fuq it-turiżmu tal-massa. L-isfida li jmiss – anzi l-isfida li diġa qegħda magħna hija tal-bidla fil-klima.

Waħda mill-isfidi hija l-qalba lejn ekonomija żero-karbonju. Il-Kummissjoni Ewropea għadha kif ħabbret miżuri li jinkludu taxxa fuq il-fuel tal-avjazzjoni, biex timbotta tranżizzjoni lejn ekonomija aktar sostenibbli. Għalkemm il-Ministru Miriam Dalli qed tippretendi li Malta hija każ speċjali, filfatt mhux fl-interess ta’ Malta li topponi miżuri li jiġġieldu l-bidla fil-klima propju għax Malta stess qed tkun affettwata minn din il-bidla. Ta’ min ifakkar li fost l-effetti hemm żieda fil-livelli tal-baħar bil-konsegwenza ta’ effetti ħżiena fuq l-infrastruttura turistika mal-kosta. Il-klima tiġi taqa’ u tqum mill-‘każ speċjali’ ta’ Malta.

Minkejja xi konċessjonijiet żgħar li Malta tista’ takkwista, huwa ovvju li l-mudell ekonomiku anke fit-turiżmu hemm bżonn jinbidel. Hemm bżonn li l-industrija tadatta għan-normalità ġdida ta’ dinja li qed tiffaċċja l-emerġenza globali tal-bidla fil-klima. Hemm bżonn li n-numru ta’ turisti isir aktar sostenibbli – mhux possibbli li mmorru lura għat-tliet miljun turist fis-sena. Hemm bżonn li l-prekarjat fis-settur jinqered u l-ħaddiema jkunu garantiti numru ta’ siegħat fissi ta’ xogħol u mhux jibqgħu mdendlin minn ġurnata għal oħra, f’dipendenza totali fuq min iħaddimhom.  Hemm bżonn ippjanar serju u fit-tul, u mhux it-tfajjir bl-addoċċ tal-vouchers għat-turisti. Ix-xogħol mhux karità.”

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