ISSUE 2 • July 2021
FILM
TOURISM
IN
MALTA
|
The
Perception
of
Veganism
DIET
in
Malta
|
Eco-
Certification among 4 Star Hotels | The relationship between expatriates’ service competencies & service quality within the F&B service department | Defining the Airport | Korean Tourism IN MALTA | A HACCP System for the New ITS C a m p u s a t S m a r t C i t y | A H e r i t a g e T r a i l | I n S e a r c h o f a N e w W a n d e r l u s tFutouristic | Anoth er || 65 first for ITS: A Diving Safety Management Degree | Official Data on Tourism
Welcome
Futouristic || 65
CONTENTS
04 14 20 26 36 38 42 48 50 54 58 62
Film Tourism in Malta The Perception of Veganism as a Diet in Malta Eco-Certification among 4 Star Hotels
The relationship between expatriates’ service competencies and service quality within the F&B service department ITS’ Strategic Plan Defining the Airport
Korean Tourism in Malta A HACCP System for the New ITS Campus at SmartCity A Heritage Trail Around the Village
In Search of a New Wanderlust Another first for ITS: A Diving Safety Management Degree Official Data on Tourism
A MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
It is my pleasure to bring to you the second issue of
,
the official magazine of the Institute of Tourism Studies. The collection
strong promotional element in Korea, that, if exploited properly, could give considerable return on investment.
of articles presented here draws from a number research projects carried out in the previous year by academic staff and students of
Another contribution is the one presented by Gastronomy graduate
the Institute. The selection of papers aims at reaching one of the
Megan Mercieca who writes about the social implications of
objectives of the editorial team, that is, to expose the wide spectrum
veganism. The author argues that there is not enough data on
of research topics and opportunities that are offered by ITS.
the number of local residents who opt to follow a vegan diet and the determinants of such decision. Mercieca takes a demographic
The recently published ITS strategy identifies Research as a critical
approach towards shedding light on this ‘dietary culture’. I her
pillar for the overall development of the institute. The document
conclusion, she also argues how the benefits of veganism should also
distinguishes three different types of research, namely: Basic
be seen in light of environmental sustainability.
Research; Applied Research; and Experimental Development. Basic Research refers to a study which produces new knowledge in field
A simplified and down-to-earth descriptive piece on Tourism Statistics
of Tourism, Hospitality or cognate areas and does not necessarily
is provided by Luca di Gennaro Splendore. The author provides
require practical application. On the other hand, the Applied
concrete examples of this sub-field which is often considered too
research strand stresses on the practical objectives, application
complicated to understand. He argues that statistics, if used properly,
and implementation of the outcome of a specific study. Finally, the
can help in systematically develop a post-covid tourism strategy to
Experimental Development strand, supports the production of new
revive this important industry.
materials or services or the upgrading of such which draws from innovative research.
Raymond J.Vassallo writes about the development of Film Tourism using Malta as a case study. The author discusses how the island
With this concept of research classification, I shall briefly present the
was able to attract film production through important financial
articles under the three different categories:
schemes but also through targeted promotion of its spaces. All this is conducive for a systematic and sustainable development of the
Basic Research
film tourism niche in Malta which will create crucial opportunities particularly post-covid.
In her article Defining the Airport, Fiorentina Darmenia Jochimsen provides a rather comprehensive picture of the core components
Applied Research
of an Airport by critically reviewing a number of key academic texts relating to the topic. The content here goes beyond the infrastructural
Charmaine Mercieca’s contribution draws from her long-essay
elements but deals also with the sociological, psychological, and
submitted as part of her Tourist Guiding qualification. The study
cultural aspects relating to the airport.
aimed to explore the tourists’ interest in a Maltese village which is set in the South-East of Malta, namely Zurrieq. Similar research focusing
Tourist Guiding student Eun Young Kim, discusses a strategy by
on other areas had previously been carried out with the objective of
which Malta could capitalize on the Korean Tourism Market. The
promoting community-based tourism.
author starts by providing a background on the historical political relationship between the two countries and proceeds with proposing
In 2020, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres published a policy
the approaches that the Maltese authority could take to ‘infiltrate’ this
document about Tourism transformation and recovery following
specific tourism market. Kim argues that TV broadcasting is a very Futouristic 2 2|| || Futouristic
COVID19 – Guterres speaks particularly how Tourism post-covid
Editorial Board Prof Glen Farrugia (chair) Ms Ruth Azzopardi Mr Andrew Debattista Mr Martin Debattista Ms Annalise Farrugia Schembri Dr Joseph George Mallia Dr Alfred Mifsud Ms Stephanie Mifsud Mr David Pace Mr Stephan Tabone Ms Alexia Gatt (secretary) Executive Team Executive Editor: Martin Debattista Scientific Research Lead: David Pace Proof-reading: Stephanie Mifsud Sales and Marketing: Natasha Brown
should become more climate-friendly and sustainable. Sustainable Tourism was the topic that ITS Diploma students following the Travel and Tourism programme had to promote and discuss through digital platforms as part of and ICT-related module. The outcome of three projects, which provides a self-reflective discussion on their blog-posts are briefly presented in this issue. The relationship between expatriates’ service competencies and service quality within the Food and Beverage service department is another article presented by ITS Food and Beverage Service lecturer Charlotte Geronimi. Here, the author discusses employment within the F&B sector in Malta and the competencies or lack thereof of the individuals who are engaged to work in this sector. Geronimi provides practical and useful recommendations
Design and Printing Philippa Zammit / MediaToday Co. Ltd Contact Information Editorial: The Futouristic Editorial Board Academic Research and Publications Board Tel: +356 23793100 Email: arpb@its.edu.mt Web: http://www.its.edu.mt Sales and Marketing: Ms Natasha Brown Tel: +356 23793100 Email: natasha.brown@its.edu.mt Institute of Tourism Studies Aviation Park Aviation Avenue Luqa, LQA 9023 Malta
to address the problem of lack of skilled F&B workers. This study was conducted prior to COVID19 and the results have to be read in light of the economic situation of that time. Experimental Development Now turning to another article by Joseph Casingena which presents the results of a research project aimed to develop a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) system for the planned ITS campus in Smart City. The author argues that the model may be implemented by other companies operating within the catering industry. In a similar vein, ITS degree graduate Izilda Massafelli Ribeiro writes about eco-certification hotels. The arguments in this article draw from the perception of hotel managers towards monitoring, operation, and implementation of provisions related to eco-certification and how does this affect the overall hotel performance particularly those which are different in
Futouristic is the official journal of the Institute of Tourism Studies (Malta). The aim of this publication is to promote academic research and innovation at ITS not just with the partners and stakeholders in the tourism industry but also society at large. Therefore, ITS fulfills its mission to be at the forefront of this vital industry with its contribution that goes beyond the training of the workforce. Futouristic is free of charge and is distributed to all stakeholders in the Maltese travel, tourism, hospitality and higher educational sectors. The views expressed in Futouristic do not reflect the views of the Board of Governors or of the Management or the Editorial Board of the Institute of the Tourism Studies but only that of the individual authors. This publication is governed by the Creative Commons Licence 4.0 BY-NC-ND. Anyone can share this publication in any medium, reproduce and re-use the content with the following conditions: full attribution to Futouristic and the individual authors; content is reproduced as is without any re-mixing or modification; and such re-use does not lead to financial gains.
terms of capacity.
The Institute of Tourism Studies shall have no liability for errors, omission or inadequacies in the information contained herein or for interpretations thereof.
Taken together, the articles in this issue represent the wide variety of
Submissions for publication are welcome. The Editorial Policy and the House Style are available on request.
research topics that the Institute and its collaborators can address. Efforts must be made to promote and increase Applied and Experimental Development research while continue to produce basic research that could eventually feed into the ITS curriculum.
Glen Farrugia Glen Farrugia
Editor-In-Chief & Editor-In-Chief & the Director of Studies at COO-Academia at the Institute of Tourism Studies
Institute of Tourism Studies
On the cover: Photography by Jellyman Futouristic || 3 Futouristic || 3
On the set of Troy (2004) in Fort Ricasoli, Malta. Photo credit: Malta Film Commission
FILM TOURISM IN MALTA R E S E A R C H BY R AY M O N D J . VA S S A L L O
FORMER ITS LECTURER AND READER IN FILM STUDIES
At no other point in history has the media, be it television, cinema, cyberspace or even print, exerted such a powerful influence on the behaviour of the individual.
The
blindingly fast pace of media evolution encompasses all levels of society and empowers consumers of information, with game-changing new consequences as people become the ultimate knowledge resource in a highly networked world.
Once thought of as with
one foot in the grave, film now permeates throughout the entire spectrum of the media thanks to accelerated technological progress.
4 || Futouristic
T
he film industry has
(Hudson & Brent Richie, 2006), in
continued to grow
a more sophisticated, targeted
and evolve rapidly
and effective way than traditional
since its inception
advertising methods. It can even be
in the early 1900s.
regarded as a novel form of “cultural
Over the years, it
landscape”, redrawn and shaped by
has gained the attention of every culture
the director’s gaze as well as by the
in every part of the world. These days,
audience. (Jewell & McKinnon, 2008
mainly but not exclusively, thanks to Hollywood, it is instrumental in shaping social culture by transforming the viewers’ opinions or swaying them one way or another. The idea that a film can have such an enormous impact on people can be difficult for some to digest, however, this same impact may also be a useful tool when used properly and for the right
Impact
“
The most evident impact of film tourism is generally the increase in the number of tourists visiting the country. This, of course, would be of great benefit to the local economy. Film tourism may also
reasons.
function as an adaptable and sustainable
Film Tourism, considered by some as
of seasonality (Beeton, 2005). Besides
the natural successor to literary tourism, may be defined as a traveller’s desire to visit a specific location which has tickled his or her imagination or interest after being presented on film, either at the cinema or on TV. In 2014 alone, around 50 million international tourists chose their destination mostly because they saw a film shot in the country of destination (TRAVELSAT Competitive index). Research on Film Tourism reveals that 1 in every 5 tourists are motivated by the Films or TV programmes they’ve seen (Imagine Magazine, August 2015). The term “film-induced tourism” is now generally held to refer to on-location tourism that follows a successful film or television series produced or set in a specific locale. (Beeton, 2005) Embedding a destination in a film may be considered as the definitive tourism product placement exercise (Morgan & Pritchard, 1998). According to Hudson and Brent Richie, “product placement is an emerging phenomenon, and has been defined as the deliberate admission of products into movies or television programmes with the intent of influencing viewers’ product preference and behaviour favourably”
Malta has built a reputation as the MiniHollywood of the Mediterranean
long-term tool to help resolve problems the impact of film tourism on visitors’ numbers, shooting a film in a destination has further implications to the local economy. The creation of institutions supporting the film industry, such as a film commission, together with a system of financial incentives, funds and marketing strategies can transform a cinematically fascinating territory, provided it has the essential natural and man-made resources, into a worldwide competitive film location. Table 1 provides an idea of the impact of Film Tourism on the tourism industry of a number of destinations. But what causes a potential traveller to, in fact, decide to travel to a destination related to a film he has recently viewed? What is the nature of the interplay between the viewer and the scene being viewed? John Urry suggests that a ‘gaze’ is created by the film for the person to interpret and this is what stimulates the viewer to decide to travel to that particular destination. (Urry, 2011) What we are talking about here is the power of the image to communicate its message to the viewer as well as the viewer’s desire to participate in the fantasy by, firstly,
imagining himself in that location and essentially becoming part of it, and secondly, physically travelling to it. “A real tourist aesthetic is thus advertised, and this aesthesis, as the etymology suggests, is a “feeling”. These emotions are collective, conventional and standardized”. (Amirou, 2007). Riley, Baker and Van Doren hold that the viewer may only be termed a film tourist when he or she travels to the film-inspired destination. (Riley, Baker, & Van Doren, 1998). Once arrived at his destination the tourist is expected to tour the major locations used in the film and record the experience through photographic and/or video equipment to prove to his relations and acquaintances back home that he has really been to said locations. Sites that have been used as motion picture locations have invariably considerably increased their profile and consequently become sources of filminduced tourism. (Riley, Baker, & Van Doren, 1998) These include the Harry Potter films (Oxford), the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit sequences (New Zealand) and Braveheart (Scotland and Ireland). Indeed, to take the Lord of the Rings as an example, some places have become Futouristic || 5
strongly identified with specific films, to the
including Anne Buchmann. (Buchmann, 2006)
extent that the national airline has embedded
generates a powerful urge in the viewer to relive the on-screen fantasy he or she has
them in its livery. This identification becomes
Sue Beeton suggests a framework describing
just witnessed. Through signs transmitted via
even stronger when the location itself is
the forms and characteristics central to
the tourist gaze, the traveller creates markers
essential to the plot of the film; Vienna in The
Film Tourism. Table 2 specifies how filmic
attached to a potential destination and
Third Man (Reed, 1949), Florence in A Room
imagery may impact a traveller in choosing a
which are indefinitely fused to it. The tourist
with a View (Ivory, 1985) and Salzburg in The
destination related to a specific film. (Beeton,
consequently makes his choice of destination
Sound of Music (Wise, 1965). Commentators
2005)
in anticipation of re-capturing the joy and
such as Hirschman (Hirschmann, 2000)
Popular media manufacture the desire
pleasure he had previously experienced
consider the popularity and subsequent
for an object through the creation or
whilst watching the film. (Urry, 2011)
influence of film in terms of myth-telling,
reinforcement of specific images attached
stating that “the mythic impulse has always
to the same object. These are termed as
Film and T.V. series are a primary source of
enthralled the human imagination”. This
“markers” which, once locked onto a target,
the tourist gaze. In inspiring people to visit
notion of myth, film and tourism has been
end up being intimately associated with it,
the locales and destinations where the film
noted and studied in relation to The Lord
continually representing it within the viewer’s
was shot, they may also incidentally become
of the Rings films by numerous scholars,
mind. John Urry holds that the Tourist gaze
excellent promoters of film tourism.
The impact of Film Tourism on the tourism industry of a number of destinations FILM OR TV SERIES Braveheart Heartbeat Deliverance Dances with Wolves Close Encounters of the Third Kind Thelma and Louise Field of Dreams Dallas The Lord of the Rings Steel Magnolias Last of the Mohicans The Fugitive Little Women Bull Durham Harry Potter Mission: Impossible 2 Gorillas in the Mist Crocodile Dundee The Beach All Creatures Great & Small To the Manor Born Middlemarch Four Weddings & a Funeral Mrs. Brown Notting Hill Saving Private Ryan Sense and Sensibiity Pride and Prejudice Cheers Miami Vice Forrest Grump Troy Captain Corelli’s Mandolin
6 || Futouristic
LOCATION
IMPACT ON VISITOR NUMBERS OR TOURIST REVENUE
Wallace Monument, Scotland
300% increase in visitors year after release
Goathland, orth Yorkshire, England
3 times the number of normal visitors in 1991
Rayburn County, Georgia
20,000 film fourists a year Gross revvenues $2 to 3m
Fort Hayes, Kansas
25% increase compared with 7% for previous 4 years
Devils Tower, Wyoming
75% increase in 1975 20% visit now cause of the film
Arches National onument in Moab, Utah
19.1% increase in 1991
Iowa
35,000 visits in 1991. Steady increase every year
Southfork Ranch, Dallas
500,000 visitors per year
New Zealand
10% increase every year 1998 to 2003 from uk
Louisiana
48% increase year after release
Chimney Rock Park, North Carolina
25% increase year after release
Dillsboro, North Carolina
11% increase year after release
Orchard House, Concord, Massachusetts
65% increase year after release
Durham, North Carolina
25% increase in attendance year after release
Various locations in U.K.
all locations saw an increase of 50% or more
National parks in Sydney
200% increase in 2000
Rwanda
20% increase in 1998
Australia
20.5% increase in u.s. visitors 1981 to 1988
Thailand
22% increase in youth market in 2000
Yorkshire Dales
generated £5m for yorkshire dales
Cricket St Thomas, Leisure Park, England
37% increase between 1978 to 1980
Stamford, Lincolnshire, England
27% increase in 1994
The Crown Hotel, Amersham, England
fully booked for at least 3 years
Osborne House, Isle of Wight, U.K.
25% increase
Kenwood House, England
10% increase in 1 month
Normandy, France
40% increase in American tourists
Saltram House, England
39% increase
Lyme Park in Cheshire, UK
150% increase in visitors
Location in Boston
$7m in unpaid promotional advertising each year
Miami
150% increase in German visitors 1985 to 1988
Savannah, Georgia
7% increase in tourism
Canakkale, Turkey
73% increase in tourism
Cephalonia, Greece
50% increase over 3 years
Culture is defined as the cumulative deposit
required to bridge the credibility gap
of, amongst other things, knowledge,
between the film and its audience. Instead,
experience, beliefs, values and meanings.
the producers turned to the Vittoriosa
Meanings may have different points of origin,
Waterfront in Malta, as it looked then, in lieu
circulating through diverse processes and
of the 19th Century French port. Filmmakers
practices to ultimately become an accepted
need the capacity to transform a landscape
norm shared throughout the community
better to incarnate their cinematic vision.
(Hall, 1997). Film as a language may lead
If filmmaking is the construction of other
to the conception of a “meaning of place”
worlds, then filmmaking on location offers
within the representational system common
the possibility of the transformation of the
to the members of the same culture. Such
world we live in – a reconstruction through
an association may lead a potential tourist
poetry or fiction, through photogenie; a
to select a particular location to visit through
frictional politics, a fictional solidarity (Renoir,
a simple viewing of a relative film or T.V.
Jennings). The impulse to search for these
programme (Beeton, 2005).
locations is irresistible. (Keller, 1994)
Media is now so pervasive that it is difficult to ignore its power in shaping our perception
Sometimes the narrative of the film requires
of people, places and objects. Mass media,
considerable modification to both the
usually supported by mainstream literature
physical landscape of the locale as well as the
and art as well as photography, tends to
concomitant social milieu. Depending upon
universally apply stereotypes. Very often film
the prior expectations of the traveller, upon
reinforces these stereotypes or even creates
arrival at his destination, the film buff would
its own, especially when it comes to locations.
discover, at the very least a far different
“Landscape as text is the dominant metaphor
environment to what he had been expecting
in film geography because it provides a
from his viewership of the film. At most, he
means to explore the intersection between
or she would be content just to be present at
narration and geography. While a useful and
the film site.
appropriate device to engage landscape, the metaphor also works to constrain the
But it is more likely that what he has done
discourse surrounding cinematic landscapes”
is the one sure way not to see the canyon.
(Lukinbeal, 1995). Thus, we have a perilous
Why is it almost impossible to gaze directly
Baghdad; a foggy, rainy London; a murder-
at the Grand Canyon and see it for what
ridden Chicago or a treacherous Shanghai.
it is...? It is almost impossible because the
Geographically, cinematic landscapes are
Grand Canyon, the thing as it is, has been
essentially simple screenscapes which do not
appropriated by a symbolic complex which
authentically represent actual landscapes.
has already been formed in the sightseer’s
Screenscapes have to be, by their very
mind. Seeing the canyon under approved
nature, profoundly altered by the distinctive
circumstances is seeing the symbolic
gaze of the screenwriter, the director and the
complex head on. (Culler, 1990)
audience itself. Objective reality as to a sense of place, is usually all but missing in a film. What a filmmaker does is attempt to approximate what the viewer imagines the place to be like within the pocket universe of the film. During the shooting of The Count of Monte Cristo (Reynolds, 2002), the walls of Marseilles, as they presently stand, were found to be inadequate to generate the authenticity
The Attraction In general, a tourist attraction involves three essential elements: (a) the sight, (b) the visitor and (c) a marker which conveys ‘meaning’ as well as signifying the attractiveness of the locale. Amongst these three elements the marker, as the sight’s de facto transmitter of information stands out in importance. Futouristic || 7
How filmic imagery may impact a traveller in choosing a destination related to a specific film (Beeton, 2005)
TYPE
DESCRIPTION
MALTA
Film tourism as primary motivation for travel
The film site is an attraction in its own right - strong enough to motivate visitation
Mdina and various (Game of Thrones - King’s Landing)
Film tourism as part of a holiday
Visiting film locations (or studios) as an activity within a larger holiday
Popeye’s Village (Popeye, 1980)
Film tourism exclusive trip
Visiting sites of films in order to ‘pay homage’ to the film; possible reenactments
Game of Thrones, Assassin’s Creed, Malta Story, Jurassic Park
Celebrity film tourism
Homes of celebrities; film locations that have taken on celebrity status
Nostalgic film tourism
Visiting locations that represent
Grand Harbour, Cottonera, Comino (Malta Story)
Constructed film tourism attraction
An attraction constructed after the filming purely to attract/serve tourists
Popeye’s Village (Popeye, 1980)
Film/Movie tours
Tours developed to various film locations
Game of Thrones Sites
Guided tours at specific on- location set
Tours of specific sites, often on private land
Film tourism to places where the filming is only believed to have taken place
Movies and TV series that are filmed in one place that is created to look like another, often in other countries for financial reasons; known as ‘runaway productions’
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003), Munich (2005), Troy (2004)
Film tourism to places where the narrative takes place, but not filmed in
The films have raised interest in a particular country or place, where the story is based, not where it was actually filmed
Midnight Express (1978), Gladiator (2000), The Count of Monte Cristo (2002), Munich (2005, Troy (2004), Agora (2009)
Film studio tours
Industrial tours of working film studios, where the actual filming process can be viewed
Mediterranean Film Studios, Kalkara
Usually adjacent to a studio, specifically built for tourism with no actual filming or production taking place E.G. Universal Studios (Hollywood); Cinecitta’
Popeye’s Village (Popeye,1980)
Particularly those outside traditional sites such as Hollywood or London
Planned but only local productions have affected this up to now.
Many cities hold film festival that attract film buffs and fans for the
European Film Awards (2012), Kinemastic International Short Film Festival, Valletta Film Festival, European Film Festival, Others planned
Film studio theme park
Movie premieres
Film Festivals
8 || Futouristic
Former Azure Window site, Gozo (Game of Thrones); By The Sea (2015) (Gozo), (Valletta): Assasins’ Creed
Markers come under various shapes and
Tourists never visit a destination in
The Malta Film Commission emphasizes
sizes: if situated on the site itself they may
possession of full knowledge of a specific
the fact that “The islands offer a diverse
consist of souvenirs, signage, an artefact,
site. Upon arrival, their newly acquired
landscape that could double for virtually
a piece of graffiti or even the tourist-guide.
experience, sights, sounds, smells,
anywhere old and new in the Middle East
Markers away from the site may include
information, acquaintance and interaction
or Mediterranean as well as several other
postcards, guidebooks and film and T.V.
will fuse to any prior knowledge they may
places.” (Malta Film Commission, 2020)
(MacCannell, 2013)
have had to create a new personal marker
The Malta Film Commission also provides
as a memory, a photo or perhaps, a souvenir
Filmmakers with considerable financial
New York and Paris are two favourite venues
purchased on site. A film site is transformed
incentives, and this is probably a primary
frequently seen on screen. Panoramic
into a tourist attraction only after the creation
reason why such organisations choose the
views of the cities, the Statue of Liberty, the
of markers. Otherwise, it would remain
island for their projects. Very often, places
Eiffel Tower, boulevards, avenues, landmark
indistinguishable from other places. In this
selected for shooting must be completely
skyscrapers, cafes, night clubs and high
respect, the quality of the tourist experience
transformed according to the requirements
fashion establishments are frequently
which such sites offer, is of paramount
of the production. Sometimes this may also
featured. Such on screen displays may
importance. John Urry (2011) suggests that
entail the construction of film sets which
be considered as off-site markers as they
tourism itself may resolve into an exercise
are completely alien to Maltese history and
encourage the viewer to visit and experience
in photogenie and travel becomes but a
culture. These are inserted in the film as
these places in person. Ironically, an opposite
strategy for the collection of photographs.
either stand-alone scenes or adjacent to
effect may be imparted. Viewers who have
actual Maltese edifices. For Gladiator (Scott,
seen innumerable car chases, shootings,
Writing in the 2002 in the Times of London,
2000), Maltese artisans (another strongpoint
muggings, robberies and countless types
journalist Daniel Rosenthal commented,
of Malta’s Film servicing industry) constructed
of murder and mayhem may well be
“Malta has built a reputation as the Mini-
a replica of the Roman Coliseum for the
discouraged to embark upon such trips.
Hollywood of the Mediterranean”. This
gladiatorial fights depicted in the film.
noteworthy observation mirrored the already
Another masterpiece of Maltese artisanship
However, film locations which double up as
well-known reputation gained by the island in
was the city of Troy constructed for Troy
overseas locales would generally not benefit
the film industry.
(Petersen, 2004). Yet again, should tourists
from such off-site markers as the advantage
have come to Malta to view these memorable
would all go to the country which they are
December 2012 saw Malta as the venue for
locations they would have ended up sorely
masquerading as. A good example of such
the 25th European Film Awards, Europe’s
disappointed as the Coliseum set was
misperception is provided by Braveheart
version of the Oscars. The European Film
disassembled at the end of the shooting and
(Gibson, 1995). Although the film was nearly
Awards are organised annually by the
the city of Troy had to be burnt down as part
entirely shot in Ireland, tourists still throng to
European Film Academy, which includes
of the screenplay. Of course, the genuine
the Highlands where tour guides earnestly
3,800 European Film professionals. For a
Coliseum in Rome must have got quite a
show them the areas where the historic
number of days Valletta hosted hundreds
boost after the film was released as, soon
battles took place, although these are not
of filmmakers, actors and producers
afterwards, re-enactors started thronging
the actual film locales. Even so, the Irish still
undoubtedly providing opportunities which
its immediate neighbourhood charging
bravely prevail in trying to draw tourists to
developed into actual films shot on location
camera-toting tourists hefty fees to have their
the authentic film sites, with some measure
on the islands. There is a possibility that the
photograph taken in their company. In the
of success.
European Film Awards may again return to
meantime, touts, and souvenir shops in the
Malta in the near future.
city of Canakkale, Turkey, sell scale models
Futouristic || 9
Considering the volume of screen tourism
For several years now, the Malta Film
which accompanies typical Hollywood
Commission offers incentives for
blockbuster films it is apparent that the
filmmakers who choose to include
representation and meaning imparted
Malta as a diegetic location in their
to the shooting sites used in these
production. A rebate of up to 40% is
productions during the screening of the
normally offered to productions coming
films to an audience are of quintessential
to Malta, depending upon an evaluation
importance in the design of their
of the cultural substance, context and
presentation to the potential visitor
implications including the insertion of
as well as in the creation of a suitable
Maltese elements directly in the storyline.
motivation for the visit. (Beeton, 2005)
(Cultural Test, 2020)
(Riley, Baker, & Van Doren, 1998) (Tooke & Baker, 1996)
While the film servicing industry is quite significantly developed in Malta, the
During film production with its attendant
related sector of film tourism is definitely
exigencies, filmmakers are constantly
less so. Paradoxically, the first reason
required to adapt and manipulate the
may be linked to the island’s versatile
narrative in myriad fashions. It is only
landscape which easily doubles up for
on rare occasions that filmmakers shoot
different countries. Whilst this factor has
scenes from their production on the
brought with it significant recognition
actual site mentioned in the story. Such
amongst major production companies
a choice would be subject to several
it is not inductive to achieve facile and
variables not the least of which would be
spontaneous recognition with audiences
budget, geographical location, climate,
and potential film tourists.
and political situation. This decision may also depend on the incentives on offer
Hudson and Brent Ritchie designed a
by the regional authorities. Filmmakers
schematic (see figure 1) whereby Film
usually resort to a particular region in
Tourism may be developed systematically
which various locales are selected to stand
through the elaboration of several
in for the original locations as described in
planned activities (Hudson & Brent
the screenplay or story. Hi-tech systems
Richie, 2006). In many cases Maltese
such as CGI make it even easier to create
locations can depend on some film-
virtual worlds, some of which may not
specific aspects such as a film’s critical or
even exist.
box-office success or tourists’ desire to explore places which emanate popular or
Malta has acted as a stand-in for
personal emotions but, quite often, film
numerous places, both in space and
inspired destinations may not be easily
in time. The Malta Film Commission
recognizable as Maltese or are missing
website lists quite a number: Libya, Iraq,
easily identifiable markers.
Kuwait, Egypt, Israel, Turkey, Palestine, and Italy. Major movies filmed in Malta
In recent years, some efforts have been
included Shout at the Devil (Hunt, 1976),
made to better develop film tourism
Midnight Express (Parker, 1978), Gladiator
through various destination marketing
(Scott, 2000), The Count of Monte
strategies – preceding a film’s release.
Cristo (Reynolds, 2002), Troy (Petersen,
These include media coverage of the
2004),Munich (Spielberg, 2005), Agora
film, with clear and present references
(Amenabar, 2009), World War Z (Forster,
to the actual shooting location. Websites
2013) and 13 Hours (Bay, 2016). None
dealing specifically with film-induced
of the above films featured Malta as a
tourism have also been put on-line. These
diegesis location.
provide the option to download maps and podcasts containing information on film
10 || Futouristic
Figure 1: How Film Tourism may be developed systematically through the elaboration of several planned activities (Hudson & Brent Richie, 2006). DESTINATION MARKETING ACTIVITIES
DESTINATION ATTRIBUTES
BEFORE RELEASE
•
Appoint an executive or public relations specialist to deal with film studios directly
•
Actively promote the destination to film studios
•
Offer grants and tax credits to encourage studios to use the location
•
Be actively involved in location scouting
•
Plan carefully to mazimise the impacts of postproduction exposure
•
•
Scenery
•
Sets
•
Backdrop
•
Icons
•
Awareness
•
Brand
FILM-SPECIFIC FACTORS
Carefully assess a film’s merit in terms of its promotional value
•
Negotiate end credits for the destination
•
Negotiation and/or producing a ‘making of the film’ feature
•
Engage the film’s stars to promote the film Provide images for media or tour operators to use Ensure media coverage of the film mentions the film location
•
Invite travel media to film location
•
Sponsor the film directly
•
Plan activities to promote other tourism sectors such as art, crafts, food, wine, muusic and fashion
Identifiable and accessible
•
Relevance of the story to the location/ clear link
in promotions •
The success of the film
•
locations
production •
•
•
FILM TOURISM
Amount of exposure/ length of time on the screen
•
An image tourists want discover
•
A film location that has an emotional attachmentħ
•
Untainted environments
•
A location that has a phyical icon that viewers can identify with
AFTER RELEASE
•
Invite travel media to special release of the film
•
Post signage and interpretation of the location
•
Sell film memorabilia
•
Replication or maintain film icons/sites/scenes’ sets to maintain authenticity
•
Host events that continue the pull of the film beyond its natural audience peak
•
Develop a dedicated website for potenial tourists
•
Post links on website to film tours run by local tour operators
•
Package additional attractions to lengthen tourist stay
•
Work collectively with other public organisations and tourist athorities to promote film locations
•
FILM COMMISSIONS & GOVERNMENT EFFORTS •
Lobbying
•
Tax breaks
•
Scouting services
•
Dedicated websites
•
Active promotion
Promote hotels and guest houses that were used in films
•
Engage in joint promotional activity with film
LOCATION
companies •
Create electronic links to the destination on the fil website
•
Have guided tours and/or film walks
•
Produce film and site maps for tourists
•
Create exhibitions or displays of memorabilia from the film
•
Attract continuous media attention to the location at each release window (dvd etc)
•
Resources
•
Cost
•
Taxes
•
Labour
•
Expertise
Source: Hudson & Ritchie 2006 Futouristic || 11
“
tour itineraries. Even though film tourism in Malta is as much advanced as its
indigenous film industry, the island can
be perceived as an innovator in the use of film for tourism purposes. An initial
example is provided by Popeye Village, located in Anchor Bay and originally
intended as a film set for Popeye (Altman, 1980) Although originally destined to
be demolished upon completion of the
shooting period, the set was “saved” from certain destruction through the efforts
of the directors Mr. Lino Cassar and Mr. Narcy Calamatta managing Malta Film
Facilities, the precursor to the present
Mediterranean Film Studios, and is now a major tourist attraction. At the present time, Popeye Village is partly an open air “museum” and partly a family entertainment complex inspired by a love for film. As advertised on its internet site (www.popeyemalta.com), the
For several years now, the Malta Film Commission offers incentives for filmmakers that choose to include Malta as a diegetic location in their production
Film Commission’s very own National Film Policy 2016 – 2020 dedicated an entire chapter to screen tourism. It identifies which types are relevant to Malta, indicating activities to be undertaken. The document mentions specific film location sites, film-themed attractions, film itineraries, film festivals and conferences, visits to filming underway and celebrity promotion. Furthermore, MTA together with the same Malta Film Commission have, for some years now been exploring and trialling other possible Film Tourism initiatives including: Film Maps, a Film Museum, Film Location signage, hotel packages with inclusive film tours and film set visits. The massive popularity of the Game of Thrones television series has inspired the first private sector ventures
”
into film tourism. Malta Film Tours (www. maltafilmtours.com) offer a variety of film-themed tours first and foremost
emphasis is on the emotional experience
The Ministry of Tourism and the Malta
being the Game of Thrones itinerary.
exerted by the film on its audience: “the
Tourism Authority are actively engaged
Although official figures relating to Film
whole family can be part of a unique
in promoting Film Tourism. The National
Tourism are not yet being retained by the
filming experience with the animation
Tourism Policy 2015 – 2020 identified
Malta Tourism Authority, even though
crew and giving you the opportunity to
Film Tourism as one of the numerous
the Coronavirus Pandemic has negatively
see yourself on the big screen”.
sectors to be encouraged within the area
affected the industy, interest in Malta as
of Niche Tourism Marketing. The Malta
a possible film venue is still strong and
12 || Futouristic
The landing of the Greek army on the shores of Troy being filmed on a sandy beach in Malta in 2003 for Troy (2004). Photo credit: Warner Brothers, through the Malta Film Commission
increasing. The filming of the third season of the Sky TV series Das Boot is a case in point. Looking forward towards recovery after the Covid-19 pandemic, film tourism is regarded as one of developing and emerging segments in the Malta Tourism Strategy 2021-2030 launched earlier in 2021. Film and tourism are related in various ways. Both are concerned with space, time, place and perception. When it creates virtual worlds for people in which to participate, film affects the perception of time, place, and space. It transforms the audience into ethereal tourists traversing space, time, and place. As reality and virtuality alternatively rupture and merge into what Baudrillard and Fredric Jameson term as simulacra, tourism itself ends up as yet another spectator event. When the moment passes, the subject may end up with a desire to relive that essentially filmic experience in the real world, once again becoming a tourist and, this time physically traversing time, space and place. (Lukinbeal, 1995)
B ibliography Amirou, R. (2007). Imaginaire
Keller, P. (1994, November). The
touristique et sociabilités du
Visible Surface. Sight and Sound, p.
voyage. Paris: Presses Universitaires
35.
de France - PUF. Lukinbeal, C. (1995). A Geography in Beeton, S. (2005). Film-Induced
Film, a Geography of Film. Hayward:
Tourism. Clevedon: Channel View
California State University.
Publications. MacCannell, D. (2013). The Tourist: Buchmann, A. (2006). From Erewhon
A New Theory of the Leisure
to Edoras: tourism and Myths in
Class. Berkeley and Los Angeles:
New Zealand. Tourism Culture and
University of California Press.
Communication, 181-189. Malta Film Commission. (2016, Culler, J. (1990). The Semiotics of
November 25). Malta Standing in As.
Tourism. Oklahoma: University of
Retrieved from www.mfc.com.mt:
Oklahoma Press.
http://www.maltafilmcommission. com/malta-standing-in-as/
Cultural Test. (2020, 10 3). Retrieved from Malta Film Commssion:
Malta Tourism Authority (2021)
https://maltafilmcommission.com
Recover. Rethink. Revitalise. Malta Tourism Strategy 2021-2030
Film Commission, M. (2016). National Film Policy. Valletta: Malta
Morgan, N., & Pritchard, A. (1998).
Government.
Tourism Promotion and Power: Creating Images, Creating Identities.
Hall, S. (1997). Representation:
Chichester: John WIley & Sons.
Cultural representations and signifying practice. London: Sage
Riley, R., Baker, D., & Van Doren, C.
Publications.
S. (1998). Movie induced Tourism. Annals of Tourism Research, 919 -
Hirschmann, E. (2000). Heroes,
935.
Monsters and Messiahs: Movies and Television Shows as the Mythology
Tooke, N., & Baker, M. (1996).
of. Kansas City: Andrews McMeel
Seeing is Believing:The Effect of Film
Publishing.
on Visitor Numbers to SCreened Locations. Tourism Management,
Hudson, S., & Brent Richie, J. (2006).
pp. 87 - 94.
Promoting Destinations via Film Tourism: An Empirical Identification
Tourism, Ministry of. (2015).
of Supporting Market Initiatives.
National Tourism Policy 2015 - 2020.
Journal of Travel Research, 387-396.
Valletta: Government of Malta.
Jewell, B., & McKinnon, S. (2008).
Urry, J. (2011). The Touris Gaze (3rd.
Movie Tourism - A New Form of
Ed.). London: Sage Publications Ltd.
Cultural Landscape? Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing, 153162. Futouristic || 13
S tudent
research
The Perception of Veganism as a Diet in Malta RESE ARCH BY MEGAN MERCIEC A
B . A . ( H ons ) G astronom y E D I T E D BY DAV I D PAC E
A
vegan is an
generated based on these findings.
2020). Though its members cannot be
individual who
If vegan options were more widely
assumed to be limited to just vegans,
avoids products
accessible, there would be succour,
the number may at least be viewed as
of animal origin
the lifestyle would not seem so difficult
an indication of those interested in the
as much as
to pursue and no need to avoid social
lifestyle, whether it be for business or
possible. While
gatherings where food is present.
personal reasons. The questionnaire
this definition may seem simple enough
Overall, those following the diet would
used as the research method for this
in theory, it does not however account
feel included and a valued member
study was published in this group,
for the intricate social dynamics an
of the community, as opposed to an
with one hundred and fifty-seven
individual goes through when veganism
outcast of society.
participants taking part.
is practiced. People who choose to adopt this lifestyle are however kept motivated to do so for personal, social, political or cultural reasons. All this was taken into consideration when developing this dissertation and the scope of this study was to look at the perception of veganism from the aspect of the vegan, with a focus on the social implications. From preliminary research, a perception emerged that a vegan diet is difficult to follow and that social gatherings where food is served meant that some difficulties were encountered. A hypothesis was 14 || Futouristic
Significance There is a lack of official local statistics or local formal studies specifically focused on veganism in Malta. However, there is no denying that the awareness, acceptance and inclusion of veganism is on the rise, both locally and abroad. The largest community of vegans identified within the Maltese
This study takes a look at the situation at a local level, with the intention of delving into how vegans feel they are being perceived locally and any difficulties they may be facing. This is being done to better understand the psychological aspect involved when adopting a vegan diet and what can be done to make adopting such a lifestyle easier.
islands was found on the social media platform Facebook in the group ‘Vegan
Defining Veganism
Malta Eats’. This group has just over eight thousand members (February
In simple terms, vegans are a strict
S S tudent tudent
research research
Photo by Heather Gill
form of vegetarians, who apart from
it is a counterculture movement,
diet would feel included and a valued
omitting meat from their diet, also
challenging the never before
member of the community, as opposed
avoid eggs, dairy and honey. Vegans
unproblematic exploitation of animals.
to an outcast of society.
do not make use of products deriving
It is important to determine the
from animals, such as leather or fur,
reasons for which one chooses to
To gain an overview of the local
and are against animal testing. The UK
adopt veganism as these may be a
situation, a survey was carried out to
Vegan Society defines vegan as:
factor in why it is stigmatised.
be answered by the target group. The
“A philosophy and way of living
questions asked were about the local
which seeks to exclude as far as is
For the purpose of the dissertation, the
situation regarding veganism. And
possible and practicable – all forms
perception of veganism will be looked
the questionnaire was designed to
of exploitation of, and cruelty to,
at from the viewpoint of vegans. The
investigate how vegans feel they are
animals for food, clothing or any other
perception will be from a dietary
being perceived on a local level, to rate
purpose; and by extension, promotes
aspect and the social implications
different scenarios and to look at any
the development and use of animal-
involved. From the literature review,
difficulties faced due to the diet that
free alternatives for the benefit of
some of the points highlighted were
they follow.
humans, animals and the environment.
a lack of support, perception that a
In dietary terms it denotes the practice
vegan diet is difficult to follow and
of dispensing with all products derived
avoiding social situations where food
wholly or partly from animals.” (The UK
is involved. With this information,
Vegan Society, 1988).
a hypothesis was developed. The hypothesis is that if vegan options were
Perception Does a perception of veganism exist? Though veganism is going mainstream,
more widely accessible, there would be succour, the lifestyle would not seem so difficult to pursue and no need to avoid social gatherings where food is present. Overall, those following the
Results The results revealed that veganism is more popular amongst females than males, with a ratio of 3 female vegans to every 1 male. This corresponds to what Lea and Worsley (2003) had also observed regarding gender differences and how veganism was viewed more Futouristic || 15
“
There is a lack of official local statistics or local formal studies specifically focused on veganism in Malta. However, there is no denying that the awareness, acceptance and inclusion of veganism is on the rise, both locally and abroad.
”
16 || Futouristic
positively by females. It appears that a
Although there are no official local
third of those who participated in this
statistics or studies of how it has
questionnaire were between the age of
developed locally, the vegan scene has
26 and 35. The next popular age group
been observed to have grown drastically
was that of between 16 and 25 followed
in recent years. Just over half of the
by that between 36 and 45. Although it
participants (56%) of this study agree that
was expected to be the most popular
the hardest part about going vegan
with millennials, these results could be
is the catering at events
explained as those between the age of
such as weddings.
26 and 35 having the most freedom of
This was also
expression. Many between the ages of
reflected
16 and 25 may still be living at home with
when
their parents who cook for them. Though the respondents of this questionnaire were meant to be vegan, in transition to becoming vegan or interested in adopting a vegan lifestyle, almost a quarter of them, that is, 38 of them (24%) had weak knowledge or a misconception of veganism. This indicates a need for better education about what it means to be vegan. Of the total number of respondents, just over half followed a vegan diet, while 43% followed a vegetarian-based diet. The fact that such a large percentage of the total respondents are not actually vegan but show an interest in the lifestyle is encouraging for the vegan movement and shows signs of its future growth and popularity. This would also help normalise it and remove any attached
asked
stigmas. The growth of veganism and
about
its breaking into mainstream was also
satisfaction
supported by business and market
levels of three
projections reported by Forbes and The
different situations.
Economist (2020), which announced
The situation of catering at
2019 as the year that veganism went
events did the worst, with 57% being
mainstream. It is worth keeping in mind
very unsatisfied and 29% expressing
though that from the questionnaire
dissatisfaction. At such events, food is not
results obtained, it was determined that
the main focus and for this reason, it is
13% of those who have adopted a vegan
probably not given priority and catering
diet, were indifferent to other aspects
for dietary requirements is overlooked.
such as clothes and cosmetics, probably
A combined total of 4% were satisfied
adopting a vegan diet for health reasons.
with the catering at events, and these
However, there is more to veganism than
participants are likely to be those that
just food, there is animal welfare and
commented that they did not find any
environmental considerations too.
difficulties in adopting veganism.
Out of the three scenarios participants
available. The 11%
were presented with, respondents
difference is indicative
were the most satisfied with the
of wanting to be fulfilled
situation of availability of products in
after a meal, while the
supermarkets, though it still did not
59% are after inclusion
score great. Restaurants and cafes did
in social circles. The
not score great either. In question
hypothesis developed for
6, going out to eat was the
this research supported
second most agreed
by the literature review,
upon difficulty
reveals a lack of support
(50%) with
for vegans, a perception
availability of
“
that the diet is difficult to follow and also an avoidance of social situations due to lack of being
The biggest difficulty vegans face is being catered for at restaurants and more so, at events such as weddings
catered for. If vegan options were more widely accessible, there would be succour, the lifestyle would not seem so difficult to pursue and no need to
The last question was left open for
avoid social gatherings where food
any comments that were not made in
is present. When asked what vegans
the previous questions. Amongst the
look for when dining out, other factors
comments that were passed, and a
included taste which got 61% of votes
somewhat unexpected one regarded
and the chef’s creativity (48%). When
the availability and extra cost of opting
asked about difficulties faced, none
for milk alternatives, how it was felt to
of the respondents had ticked boring
be unfair and discouraged people from
food, however it was brought up later
adopting veganism. It may seem like
on in the questionnaire.
something small, especially to those not conforming to a vegan diet, however
Overall, just over half of the
it is something vegans face regularly,
respondents feel that the vegan scene
considering how often they go out for
is improving in Malta. Twenty-eight
coffee.
percent (28%) of the total number suitable options/ products felt by 26% of the total
of participants feel that there is room for improvement while 17% deem it bad. Further to this, 55%
C onclusions & R ecommendations
of all the respondents would like to see veganised versions of Maltese
The hypothesis set for the dissertation
favourites. Twenty-five percent (25%)
stated that if vegan options were more
concern about nutrition and feeling
were not interested whilst 17% were
widely accessible, there would be
that vegan products are expensive on
indifferent. It could be that these were
succour, the lifestyle would not seem
supermarket shelves were each felt by
foreigners (the questionnaire did not
so difficult to pursue and it would solve
approximately 20% of the populace.
ask about nationality) and did not
the need to avoid social gatherings
know anything about local dishes and
where food is present. Overall, those
In question 8, when vegans were asked
cuisine. As Brillat Savarin implies with
following the diet would feel included
what they look for when dining out,
the well-known statement ‘you are what
and valued members of the community,
59% of the participants reported that
you eat’, there is a relationship between
as opposed to outcasts of society.
they look for the simple availability
man and the food consumed, with what
of a suitable option for them, while
is consumed representing our beliefs,
The data obtained from the 157
70% are after the variety of options
cultural and social backgrounds.
questionnaires revealed that the
number of respondents. Telling family and friends,
Futouristic || 17
Official Vegan Certification in the World Europe
Outside Europe
Vegan Agriculture Certification
18 || Futouristic
“
biggest difficulty vegans face is being
of the availability of options in catering
and entered society would make for
catered for at restaurants and more
establishments and venues would
interesting research. Furthermore, it
so, at events such as weddings. Fifty-
complement this research. Further
would also be interesting to look into
nine percent (59%) of the respondents look for the simple availability of a suitable option for them, while 70% check for the variety of options available. The 11% difference reflects the need for satisfaction from a meal, while the 59% indicates a desire to be included. The need to have to check for the simple availability of an option is reflective of the uncertainty and lack of reliability of the
industry. The lack of inclusivity
studies could also include a
Whether veganism decreases the carbon footprint or not is something that should be delved into deeper
vegans and compare the findings.
F inal R ecommendations Further studies may look into how the perception of veganism has continued to evolve with time. Another related point, amongst others, which could be investigated is the link between veganism and sustainability, not just as a diet but from an environmental viewpoint as well. Food security and environmental impact are global threats—topics that require more awareness and knowledge
where food is concerned felt by the
amongst the general population.
vegan community suggests that it is true
Whether veganism decreases the carbon
as when vegans are not satisfied with
footprint or not is something that should
the catering options, it puts a strain on their social life, and on whether or not
qualitative approach, by interviewing
they are supported in their decision to
vegans to gain a more in-depth analysis
opt for veganism. Hence, the hypothesis
of what they think. This study could
was proven.
have gone into more detail regarding demographic information, asking
This could be overcome by providing
questions related to level of education
satisfying and suitable options on the
and income; and as an initial study,
menu, which would cater for other
should have focused on the collection
dietary requirements at the same time,
of quantitative data alone, streamlining
giving the establishment a wider market.
the analysis significantly. Veganism in
Such options would also reflect the
itself is a growing interest and studying
creativity and innovativeness of the chef
the process of how it has evolved
and skills of the kitchen.
the actual perception of non-vegans on
be delved into deeper.
F inal N ote This study was carried out to highlight and increase the awareness of the difficulties vegans face. The findings can be applied to other scenarios such as where other dietary requirements are involved including gluten and lactose intolerances. It is important to emphasise the need to cater for all dietary requirements. Food should be enjoyed
F urther
studies
As noted earlier, there is little information available on
and have a positive effect on our health and wellbeing.
veganism in Malta. The information obtained from this research was an attempt to obtain a general idea of the situation. A study
Futouristic || 19
S tudent
research
Eco-Certification in the Maltese Hospitality Industry Among Four Star Hotels: Is it Enough? RESE ARCH BY IZILDA M ASSAFELLI RIBEIRO
B . A . H ons I nternational H os p italit y M anagement E D I T E D BY DAV I D PAC E
A
n interesting
Europe 6.1%, South America 2.7%,
to adopt such technologies; incorporate
project which
Oceania 4.8% and Asia 0.9%.
eco-conscious practices among the
is also unique for the ITS as it focuses on ecocertification of
hotels by comparing two similarly sized hotels, one of which is eco-certified and the other is not. The researcher also discussed eco-certification in detail providing a number of case studies and managed to obtain some interesting data about the subject. This feature attempts to highlight the research, results and conclusions. The Know How Guide by Sustainable Hotel Certification Schemes published in 2016 provides information on the proportion of hotels with green certification. This report is based on the research of more than 130,000 hotels worldwide of which only 8,000 were found to be eco-certified (Greenhotelier.org, 2016) . The proportions by continent are: North America 10.1%, Africa 3.7%,
20 || Futouristic
Case Studies & Best Practices The Lovat A fifteen-year old hotel, The Lovat management rethought its ecological footprint after it was refurbished in 2007. A Froling 85KW biomass woodchip boiler was installed, linked by wi-fi to a computer programmed and connected to Property Management System (PMS) to control the temperature of water and air in all rooms and bathrooms, including public areas. This project had a payback of four years and decreased the carbon footprint by 50 tonnes a year. The hotel later introduced the 195Kw biomass woodchip boiler, which resulted in a Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) payback of £20k annually. This was further supplemented by a Carbon Management Plan (CMP) leading to a 15% reduction in CO2. Also, the hotel was the first hotel in the city
hotel staff and help raise awareness within the community. Some of the eco practices adopted were: 1. Use of local suppliers (vegetable, fruits and flowers); 2. LED lighting; 3. PC automated switch off; 4. Reduction of food waste; 5. Carbon rewards program (by encouraging guests to use public transport in exchange for a discount on the bill); 6. Staff engagement, among others. Planet 21 Accor Hotels has a sustainability action programme called Planet 21. In the first five years, the network achieved significant results; delivering two thirds of the 21 eco-certification goals, decreasing water consumption and energy consumption by 9% and 5.3% respectively and a drop 6.2% in CO2 emissions. Since 2009, the programme has planted 4.5 million trees. (Accor— The commitment to the planet, 2020).
S S tudent tudent
research research
Photo credit: marinahotel.com.mt
This resulted in an equivalent decrease
participates in a programme created by
fulfils the definitions of the sustainability
in CO2 of a 100 million kilogrammes (or
the Accor Hospitality group together with
tripod in their practices, seeking to
100 000 tonnes of carbon).
the UN that plants one tree for every
execute actions of the three fundamental
four towels reused in hotel apartments.
pillars of sustainability: environmental,
Every drop matters
So far, 1,000m² of land have been
social and economic, defined by
Sofitel Guarujá Jequitimar in Guarujá
covered with planted trees.
Elkington (1994) and the compulsory and
on the south coast of São Paulo (Brazil),
non-compulsory criteria of the local MTA
has continuously invested in ecologically
Although many Maltese hotels are
eco-certification scheme.
correct practices and recently
becoming eco-certified, they still depend
implemented the “zero-emission” project
a lot on governmental help and there
On the other hand, the uncertified hotel
reusing all rainwater collected at the
is little effort from any to give back to
preferred to remain anonymous and
resort.
the environment. It is high time that
does not meet all the eco-certification
local hotels start to become involved in
criteria listed, neither compulsory
The project was implemented a year ago
tree-planting and other environmentally
nor non-compulsory. Although the
using two plants that capture rainwater
friendly activities that help to decrease
anonymous hotel is not eco-certified
so that they can be reused in toilets,
their massive carbon footprints.
it has tried to introduce some of the
gardens, aquariums and for washing purposes. Up till June of 2019, the resort will have prevented the release of 40 million litres of effluents into the environment, hence becoming the first Brazilian hotel to seek international certification on zero-emission of effluents. The project also recycles all waste produced at the hotel—except organic— about 380 kilos of garbage per day and
Research Analysis The student’s dissertation aimed to study the leading sustainable practises applied to four-star hotels in Malta, identify the main obstacles to the application of new eco-friendly measures and to determine which hotels were using more advanced technology in eco-certification. The Marina Hotel Corinthia Beach Resort
initiatives proposed by the MTA ecocertification scheme (Malta Tourism Authority, 2020). The MTA scheme consists of a number of sections, each of which includes a list of criteria. Some of these criteria are compulsory and others are voluntary. The researcher compared and contrasted each to examine the hotel’s environmental credentials.
Futouristic || 21
Section One covering environment
only one which both hotels adhered to, was
Section Eight deals with the building
management was not been implemented
the monitoring of the swimming pool water
and green areas. The Marina hotel does
by the anonymous hotel. The management
consumption which has an impact on the
have native plants in external areas,
did not adopt sustainable practices in their
hotel’s expenses. The criterion of installing
and landscape mainly using low water
“
procurement purchasing system, the main
automatic turn-off devices on public toilets
consumption plants (which are irrigated by
goal being to lower costs, and purchased
and showers was not adopted by the
collected rainwater). The anonymous hotel
most of their supplies from abroad.
anonymous hotel although the manager
does not have so many plants, but they are
Conversely, the Marina hotel buys a lot of products from Maltese agents trying as much as possible to fulfill this criterion as the management believes in sustainability of local products. Many compulsory requirements of Section Two—the waste management criteria were being met by both hotels and these included: waste management, reuse and reduction of paper and
reduction of linen and plastic on
explained that they
native. Neither hotel use natural fertiliser and produce their own compost. The Marina hotel affirm that they do not have space for
Although many Maltese hotels are becoming ecocertified, they still depend a lot on governmental help & there is little effort from any to give back to the environment
individual portions of breakfast items.
such a practice yet, while the anonymous hotel declared that it is not needed considering they do not have so many plants. Both hotels complied to most of the criteria regarding local culture. The differences are that the Marina hotel has some menus in the local language, while the anonymous hotel does not. The Marina hotel also has organic food included on the menu. Both hotels use local dishes as well as serving vegetarian and vegan meal
options as part of their menu. They also
incorporate elements of their culture in the The Marina Hotel fulfills almost all the
would
procurement criteria of Section Three, while
be installed
interior decoration as well as promoting cultural excursions.
the anonymous hotel fulfills the criteria of
before applying for eco-certification due to
reusing paper—a measure that is easy to
their positive impact on hotel expenses and
The final Section (Ten) regarding information
apply rather than changing the procurement
the environment.
dissemination is mostly non-compulsory.
practices aiming for greener practices such
The only two different answers provided
as using recyclable napkins and toilet paper,
In Section Six regarding air quality, both
were that the Marina hotel does not have a
which is the case with The Marina hotel.
hotels have several non-smoking rooms
suggestion box, while the anonymous hotel
and urge guests to use public transport
does. Also, the Marina hotel does inform its
In Section Four regarding energy use, the
particularly since both hotels are located
guests about its environmental practices and
Marina hotel has more initiatives in place
close to bus stops. The only other criterion
their results. Other than that, both hotels
from the voluntary (non-compulsory) list
that the anonymous hotel is not adhering to,
inform and encourage guests to participate
than the anonymous hotel including energy
is boiler emission monitoring due to the lack
in their green practices such as reuse of
efficient lighting products, automatic
of equipment.
towels and decreasing food waste, as well as
controls and presence sensors. The hotel
informing guests about local environmental
manager mentioned plans to implement
Both hotels had practically the same
activities and initiatives that they can
more energy saving initiatives, while the
answers for Section Seven regarding noise
participate in as part of their activities while
anonymous hotel manager explained that
criteria. The only difference is that Marina
on holiday.
the energy criteria would be implemented
hotel’s rooms are partially insulated while
when the hotel applied for eco-certification.
the anonymous hotel’s are not. Both hotels
By comparing hotels and contrasting results,
feel that noise abatement is not a priority as
it seems that although the Marina hotel
they have not received any complaints.
is eco-certified, it is still trying to become
Section Five concerns water use which does not have many voluntary requirements. The 22 || Futouristic
a more sustainable hotel. As the eco-
certification criteria are quite exhaustive
which did not require too much investment.
this explains why the Marina hotel has
concerns with sustainability and this limits what can be done with the eco-certification
not practised all of the non-compulsory
The challenges of the Marina hotel are the
requirements as it has focused its effort on
obligation to renew the eco-certification,
process.
abiding to the compulsory criteria of the eco-
which brings more requirements and
Both managers believe that hotels in Malta
certification. This is mostly due to budgetary
changes from previous practices; and these
are ready to implement eco-certification in all
constraints.
may have a negative effect on the return of
ratings (two, three, four and five stars). The
investment. Another challenge is the capital
general manager of the Marina hotel added:
The anonymous hotel has opted to
and investment needed for implementing
“Even boutique hotels should be included
implement some of the non-compulsory
new measures, particularly those involving
since their number is growing significantly
requirements as it has just completed
new technology.
on the island” (Vella, 2019). As for the
a refurbishment. Budgetary constraints
anonymous hotel’s manager, he believes that
prevented the hotel from implementing
In the case of the anonymous hotel,
they are close to achieving this goal since the
a full eco-certification exercise, so the
its primary concern is expansion and
hotel has evolved a lot and business should
management decided to fulfill the criteria
consolidation of the brand rather than
evolve to contribute to sustainability.
SWOT ANALYSIS STRENGTHS • • •
• • • •
Training available for all the staff. Social programs among the community. Eco-certification is seen as an attractive feature sought especially by the Nordic countries (Vella, 2019). People started to notice the green movement, therefore, becoming more aware of it. Guests contribution’s on applied measures. Cost reduction: reduce waste and improvement of internal processes. Malta is a top destination for tourists.
WEAKNESSES • • •
• •
• • •
Expensive equipment and services needed for the implementation of green practice; Absence of an environmental marketing areas; Eco-certification seen as a challenge: the need to deliver training more often due to high staff turnover. Guests do not engage totally with the hotel feedback towards the green practices. Having to adhere to the hotel star classification standards which in some cases are not adequate for sustainable practices. Difficulty in obtaining financial support. Disarticulation between sectors of society. Time-consuming and costly.
OPPORTUNITIES • • • • •
• • • • • • • • • •
Training is being delivered with a more in-depth focus on sustainability. In the long term implement proper environmental management. Use of refills and packaging with a longer life cycle. Reduce plastic present in straws, coffee cups and single-use items as a start. Change in the ‘mentality’ of locals and government (in the sense that climate change is happening, and everybody needs to work together to solve it); Adhere to international eco-certification and programs. Go beyond the eco-certification criteria list. Invest more in green marketing to gain competitive advantage and create competition among hotels. Changes in consumption habits. Expansion of the economy. The emergence of new technologies. Contributing to making a more sustainable planet. Strengthening business partnerships and new clients. Improve the hotel’s relationship with the local community. Add value to the brand, creating a better image for guests, which value and look for places that are sustainable and responsible.
THREATS • • • • •
Rising costs with changes in equipment and technologies.
Deficiency in the consolidation of public policies. Change in regulations. Depending on the practice, the acceptance of locals and guests. Little involvement of the local community. Futouristic || 23
“
Photo credit: marinahotel.com.mt
Conclusion
Although many Maltese hotels are becoming eco-certified, they still depend a lot on governmental help and there is little effort from any to give back to the environment
24 || Futouristic
”
The hotels which were compared and
Aside from the difference of one hotel
contrasted in this dissertation are two
being eco-certified and other not, the
four-star hotels, based in St. Julian’s,
interviews revealed a considerable
in Malta, with approximately the same
effort from the anonymous hotel to
number of rooms, food outlets, location
reduce its impact on the environment
and views on eco-certification. One
by implementing some of the voluntary
hotel being the Marina hotel, Corinthia
criteria listed by the MTA (2020). The
Beach Resort, and another which
Marina hotel, on the other hand, revealed
preferred to remain anonymous. This
significant interest in contributing to
dissertation sought to identify how both
the preservation of the environment
managers perceived the process of
and its community by going beyond
eco-certification, and the importance of
implementing the compulsory criteria on
sustainability in the hotel industry (the
the eco-certification list.
managers’ perceptions were investigated and assessed through an interview). The
The Marina hotel fulfilled 44 out of the 63
objective of the interview process was,
non-compulsory (voluntary) requirements
among other things, to identify whether
and the anonymous hotel 26. In this
both hotels are currently executing the
regard, the anonymous hotel lags
basics of sustainable practises, even
behind its commitment to decrease its
though one is already eco-certified,
environmental impact. This is mostly due
and how easy or difficult it has been
to different priorities. The anonymous
or will be for the hotels to comply with
hotel is more focused (currently and
the requirements of the evaluation
financially) on its refurbishment process
and accreditation process of eco-
and cannot offer as much time and
certification.
financial resources to eco-certification.
world that benefits the collective needs
co2-levels-be-reduced-by-planting-trees>
of society, rather than businesses
[Accessed 16 October 2020]
simply focusing on a single objective namely economic growth and consumer
Elkington, J., 1994. Towards The
needs. It is my belief that managers,
Sustainable Corporation: Win-Win-Win
staff and guests should reflect more
Business Strategies For Sustainable
critically on the issues raised, and that
Development - John Elkington, 1994.
they should serve as inspiration for the
[online] SAGE Journals. Available at:
implementation of actions, and also the
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/
decision making process in determining
abs/10.2307/41165746 [Accessed 19 July
what becomes relevant actions that meet
2020].
the concept of sustainable development presented in this research.
Greenhotelier.org., 2016. Know How Guide: Sustainable Hotel Certification
The interview with Mr. David Pace (Pace,
Schemes. [online] Available at: https://
2020), who has been lecturing hoteliers,
www.greenhotelier.org/wp-content/
managers and hospitality students about
uploads/2016/09/Know-How-Guide-to-
eco-certification, agrees that it is not a
sustainable-hotel-certifications1.pdf
perfect system.
[Accessed 27 August 2020].
Small hotels find it particularly difficult
Greenhotelier.org, 2018, The Lovat, Loch
to implement, and that is why there are
Ness: Joined-Up Thinking On Reducing
so few certified in Malta. Certain changes
Carbon | Green Hotelier. [online]
The need to focus more on environmental
regarding waste management can be
Greenhotelier.org. Available at: https://
education from both hotels was also
implemented in a large hotel because it
www.greenhotelier.org/best-practice-
lacking, particularly aimed at both island
produces a large amount, while a small
sub/case-studies/the-lovat-loch-ness-
and hotel residents. This shows rousing
boutique hotel can manage its waste
joined-up-thinking-on-reducing-carbon/
environmental awareness to provoke a
sustainably without resorting to eco-
[Accessed 13 July 2020].
transformative experience in people is still
certification benchmarks.
lacking.
Malta Tourism Authority 2020. Although the government and the MTA
‘Development of The Scheme’. [online]
Despite the advances recorded in the
(2020) provide quite a lot of support
Available at: <https://www.mta.com.mt/
hotels studied, it is essential to note that
to hotels so that they can implement
en/development-eco-scheme> [Accessed
there are opportunities for improvement
eco-certification successfully, there is
13 July 2020].
in the implementation of environmental
very little help regarding the use of new
strategies in the hotel sector, even in
technologies such as organic digesters,
Pace, D., 2020. Interview with Izilda
eco-certified hotels with a well-defined
new water purification technologies and in
Massafelli Ribeiro. 12 August, Skype call.
environmental policy. The big challenge is
dealing with the problems of economies
to encourage the hotel industry and the
of scale.
tourism sector as a whole to incorporate
Revistahotels.com.br, 2020 Sustentabilidade na hotelaria, Revista
the environmental thinking into their
P.S. This research project was concluded
Hotéis, [online] Revistahotels.com.br.
decision-making process.
before the COVID-19 pandemic break-out.
Available at: https://www.revistahoteis.
Furthermore, it is a challenge nowadays
Bibliography
com.br/sustentabilidade-na-hotelaria/ [Accessed 13 July 2020].
for businesses (such as the hotels examined in this dissertation) to engage
CO2meter.com, 2020. Could global CO2
the public’s desire to overcome the
Levels be reduced by planting trees?
hurdle of a material society and develop a
[online] Available at: <https://www.
healthier more environmentally balanced
cO2meter.com/blogs/news/could-global-
Vella, A., 2019. Interview with Izilda Massafelli Ribeiro. 25 May, Marina Hotel, Corinthia Beach Resort, Malta.
Futouristic || 25
The relationship between expatriates’ service competencies and service quality within the Food & Beverage service department WORDS BY CHARLOT TE GERONIMI
LEC TURER IN F&B SERVICE AND E VENT S AT IT S
26 || Futouristic
A
long the years, Malta’s
adverse challenges and issues
hospitality industry
(Schuetzendorf, n.d.). One of the
has managed to
major challenges is the flow-on
reinvent itself through
effect unskilled workers could have
the evolvement and
on service quality (SQ) (McKay,
diversification of
2014). In 2017 alone, over 11,000
“
tourism services (Alosio & Fenech, 2017).
new jobs were created in Malta
During the past decade, Malta’s tourism
but only 2,500 indigenous workers
industry returned to strong growth, thus
applied and filled these posts,
increasing hotel investment through the
resulting in an upsurge of expatriates
refurbishment, or upgrading of hotels
(Cassar, 2017; Dimech, 2017; Caruana,
to attain a higher star classification, the
2018; Borg, 2019).
Most employed expatriates are underqualified to work in F&B
opening of international restaurant chains and the transformation of old town houses
Although most locally employed expatriates
into boutique hotels to offer higher quality
are considered highly qualified in their home
standards (Times of Malta, 2018; Zammit,
country, their qualifications are not always
2018).
linked with the job they find away from
perspective, selected SERVPERF factors
home. Reviewed statistics show that to meet
impacting SQ were used to identify 12
This sector continues to be a key economic
this shortage, expatriates with limited or no
performance items (table 1).
contributor to the industry, but constant
skills relevant to the industry are generally
Since SQ is largely determined by service
growth has brought along certain
employed, posing serious challenges to
receivers, most research surrounding SQ
organisational concerns with employee
the delivery of SQ as required by industry
focuses on understanding SQ from the
shortage being the top-most concern. In fact,
standards (NSO, 2015).
guests’ point of view (Brown et al., 1993), with
local hotels have been showing difficulty
the employees’
few studies examining the multi-dimensional
when recruiting employees to run their
Moreover, Na (2010) states that the hotel
and hierarchical conceptualisation of SQ
operations (Manduca, 2018). Due to the low
service sector accounts for 38 percent of
in F&B from the employees’ perspective.
unemployment rate and the expansion of
the value added in the World Economic
However, seeing that labour shortage was
Malta’s economy beyond available resources,
Community, with SQ playing an irreplaceable
identified as a major issue of this research
the only solution for employers to fill in
role. Consequently, ensuring a high level of
phenomenon, studying the employees’
vacant posts is to recruit expatriates (Mifsud,
SQ through employee service competencies
perception of SQ was considered essential
2018).
in F&B is essential because maintaining and
in unveiling practical perspectives of their
surpassing industry standards guarantees
perception.
More Foreign Workers
business competitiveness and growth (Borg, 2019).
Research Methodology
economy, the employment of expatriates
The extraordinary influx of expatriates has
Since it was impossible to study Malta’s hotel
is said to have drastically increased within
been instrumental in mitigating labour
the Food and Beverage (F&B) sector (MTA,
market shortages. Given that inbound
2017). Expatriates working in F&B were in
tourism continues to increase and SQ
minority in 2010, yet today, 52 percent of the
delivery expectations are high, gaining an
employed expatriates are working in F&B
understanding of the characteristics of this
(Malta Hotels and Restaurant Association,
segment is critical. Therefore, this study
2010), increasing the ratio of expatriates
aimed to examine the relationship between
to indigenous employees in local F&B
expatriates’ service competencies and SQ
establishments to 6:4 (Xuereb, 2017).
delivery within the F&B department of
Whereas Grima (2018) agrees that this is evident across all sectors of the Maltese
five-star hotels. Additionally, since this study Although the hotel industry has, along the
focused on the service competencies of
years resulted in a healthy growth for F&B,
expatriates and their impact on SQ from
this progression has also brought about
industry in its entirety and studying the entire population of expatriates working in this same industry was also unmanageable, one hotel and its employees were chosen through purposive sampling as a representation of Malta’s hotel industry. Similarly, purposive sampling was used to select the F&B department. The F&B department was chosen mainly because it requires the employment of competent employees that are in constant contact with guests (Kumar & Bhatnagar, 2017) and because of its direct impact with service competencies and SQ. Futouristic || 27
data and in relation to the specific subject
could be triangulated with secondary data.
Consequently, for the purpose of this research,
area and although none of the referred tools
The important emergent categories were then
a local 5* hotel, hereinafter referred to as
directly involved the participation of hotel
reflected in the questionnaire’s design.
the hotel, served as the unit of analysis and
guests, purposely structured questions used to
the F&B department served as the sample
gather the guests’ perspective from employee
These data analysis systems produced
frame. The reason this specific hotel was
feedback were implemented. 75 respondents
valuable data that were used to test the
chosen is twofold. Firstly, because the F&B
took part in this study including 1 interview
proposed hypotheses that sought to identify
scale of operations of this hotel provides a
respondent, 16 focus group contributors and
the relationship, if any, between the service
good sample of the Maltese F&B industry and
58 questionnaire respondents.
competencies of expatriates and the SQ
secondly because the number of expatriates working at the hotel ensured validity and reliability of data. The F&B department at the hotel is composed of 37 indigenous and 79 expatriate employees.
Data Analysis To achieve the aim and objectives of this research, collected qualitative research data was analysed through thematic analysis whilst descriptive statistics were used to analyse
A structured interview was used to collect data from the Culinary Director whilst mini focus group discussions and self-administered questionnaires were implemented with F&B employees.
quantitative data. Thematic analysis was the most suitable system for analysing qualitative data because after going through the primary data records several times, data was collaborated into themes and patterns, and
All posed questions were based on secondary
then put into categories, so that primary data
offered in the F&B department at the hotel. Gathered themes have been structured around the research objectives and identify the gap between self-claimed vs industry specific service competencies, the importance of employees’ service competencies for SQ and the relationship between expatriate’s F&B service competencies and SQ.
Discussion Reviewed literature indicates that labour shortage in Malta’s hospitality industry was
Table 1: Identified performance factors related to pre-identified service competencies. Adapted from Cronin and Taylor (1994)
FACTOR NAME Tangibles
ITEM Expatriates have the skills to work with tools and technology Expatriates have the skills to be guest focused
Assurance responsiveness
Expatriates have the appropriate skills to provide prompt service Expatriates work in a team to ensure guest’s interest Expatriates have sound communication skills to attend to guest
Empathy
Expatriates have the skills to serve food and beverage correctly Expatriates have knowledge to cater to various dietary needs Expatriates have the skills to perform service right first-time round Expatriates have the skills to solve guest issues
Reliability
Expatriates have up-selling and cross-selling skills Expatriates are knowledgeable about industry standards
Film/Movie tours
28 || Futouristic
Expatriates have food safety knowledge
Figure 1.1 formerly seen as a temporary problem
expatriate employees at the hotel hold a
during peak seasons but due to the
qualification that is not industry related
limitation of local supply and high economic
(figures 1.2 and 1.3).
What is your nationality? Indigenous National
Other EU National
Non-EU National
growth, labour shortage has become a permanent concern (Malta’s Employer Association, 2016; Bugeja, 2017). Therefore,
In contrast, whilst previous literature
employers are left with no option but to
(MaltaProfile, 2017) shows high levels
employ expatriates to fill the high vacant
of indigenous qualified hospitality
posts (Cassar, 2017).
graduates, gathered data notes that industry qualified indigenous
Gathered respondent data reveals that
employees were in minority (figure
non-EU nationals account for 57 percent of
1.3). This indicates that the number
the F&B employees at the hotel, followed by
of indigenous workers willing to work
indigenous nationals and other EU nationals
in this industry is relatively low, thus
(figure 1.1). These figures collaborate with
confirming grounded theory that
published statistics stating that regardless
identifies recruitment problems when
of the free movement of labour within
searching for qualified indigenous talent
the EU, hospitality establishments are still
(Championing Better Work and Working
struggling to find enough EU nationals to
Lives, 2018).
Figure 1.2 Your highest educational qualification title: Expatriate cohort Business Degree
School Leaving
Programming Diploma
Trade School
Security Certificate
Restaurant Diploma
Nursing Qualification
fill their vacancies, thus the need to employ TCN (Orland, 2019). This was also confirmed
A discrepancy lies between those
by the Culinary Director who stated that
employees claiming an industry related
management are “constantly looking to
qualification. Whilst 37 percent of the
recruit indigenous workers but because
indigenous employees claimed an
of the shortage of such workers, the hotel
industry related qualification, only 25
meets this gap through the recruitment of
percent of the expatriates selected a
expatriates.”
relevant qualification. This coincides with qualitative data where it was
This phenomenon was also brought up by
stated that although management look
focus group participants where indigenous
to “employ F&B front-liners with relevant
employees confirmed that “the industry
qualifications and pre-defined service
cannot rely on the supply of indigenous
competencies, most employed expatriates
employees alone” and that without the
are underqualified to work in F&B.”
recruitment of expatriates “many local
Similarly, it also corresponds with reviewed
establishments would be forced to
literature that confirms the difficulty
shut down” because there would be no
in employing skilled employees due to
employees to service the industry needs.
the significant changes in labour force
Expatriate participants further explained
composition and gap increase between
that they are generally employed because
labour demand growth and labour supply
the younger indigenous cohort does “not
(OECD, 2012).
want to work in this demanding industry.”
Figure 1.3
Your highest educational qualification title: Indigenous colour Criminology Degree
Law Degree
School Leaving Cultural Studies Diploma
Trade School
Hotel Operations Diploma
Diploma
Food and Beverage
Figure 1.4
Do you feel you hold the relevant service competencies The industry specific service competencies required to carry out your job?
Labour market experts argue that Malta’s
management consider during the
rate of low-skilled employees is one of the
recruitment of F&B front-liners include
highest in the EU (Dimech, 2017) and that
“strong communication, upselling, and
the industry is relying on expatriates that are
attention to detail, flexibility, language
underqualified in this sector but are willing
fluency and responsibility.” These
to learn the industry’s basics (NSO, 2016).
competencies also share common aspects
Primary data coincides with this theory,
with Malta’s National Occupational
with data evidently showing that most F&B
Standards, with service procedures, guest
Yes
No
Futouristic || 29
service and work ethics being regarded as
always met.” Additionally, the Culinary
common service competencies.
Director stated that no employee is “perfect,”
and that the F&B department is best
Similarly, focus group participants
filled with employees that have different
regarded these competencies as essential
competencies and personalities.
Figure 1.5
SERVPERF tangible performance factor Do expatriates have the skills to work with tools & technology?
Strongly Agree Agree Neither Agree nor Disagree
competencies F&B employees need to meet industry standards with the indigenous
Since this study focuses on expatriates’
participants further denoting F&B service
service competencies, a deeper analysis
employees “as a core part of the service
into the amount of service competencies
product” and as “the hotel’s representative
expatriates claim to possess shows that the
for guests.” Further literature also confirms
average claimed competencies amount to
that in such a labour-intensive industry,
4.8 competencies which will be rounded
employee competencies are central to
down to 4 competencies. This showed that
ensuring SQ (D’Annunzio-Green et al., 2000).
most expatriates believe they have more
Most questionnaire respondents conveyed
competencies than the average expatriate.
Disagree
this importance with 69 percent of the respondents claiming to hold relevant F&B
When further analysing the self-claimed
service competencies (figure 1.4). When
F&B service competencies questionnaire
analysing this data according to respondent
respondents were asked to earmark, it is
nationality, it was noted that the expatriate
evident that indigenous employees claim
“
cohort accounted for 71 percent of this
to be in full possession of F&B service skills,
Additionally, the Culinary Director also
segment.
teamwork, strong communication and guest-
stated that although expatriates generally
However, most focus group participants
centric service dimensions.
lack relevant industry experience, they
argued that although certain employees
make themselves immediately available to
claim to be in possession of such
Incidentally, when evaluating their
meet job requirements, thus according with
competencies, once on the job, it
F&B service competencies, expatriates
secondary data that suggesting expatriates’
sometimes transpires that they lack certain
considered these same dimensions to
availability as one of the main factors
competencies. Both the expatriate and
be their weakest points, yet highlighted
expatriates cause a positive relationship on
indigenous respondents agreed that this
technology competencies as their strongest.
organisational performance (Achim et al.,
meant that “quality standards were not
This coincides with focus group discussions
2017).
Service Quality offered in previous years comes nowhere close to that being offered today and frequent guests regularly comment on this
30 || Futouristic
were indigenous respondents stated “expatriates work better with technology”
To evaluate the relationship between
but indigenous employees master
expatriate’s F&B service competencies
“teamwork, communication and are more
and SQ within the hotel’s F&B department,
customer focused” than expatriates.
12 pre-identified SERVPERF performance
In contrast, all focus group participants
items were used to measure SQ from
and questionnaire respondents
the employees’ perspective through the
collectively considered themselves
self-administered questionnaire. The first
to lack operational procedures and
question looked to identify the tangible
salesmanship competencies. Most
performance factor, were most employees
questionnaire respondents admitted they
agreed that expatriates had the required
lack salesmanship skills and although the
competencies to work with tools and
reason behind this was not evaluated
technology (figure 1.5).
during the questionnaire, most focus group respondents stated that they “did not
This result is an advantage for the
feel confident to upsell” because they did
management because the industry heavily
not have “the required product or service
relies on technology to help reduce
knowledge,” thus hindering their possibility
costs and enhance operational efficiency
of “exceeding guest expectations through
to improve services offered. This also
personalised experiences.”
corresponds with previous literature that
identified technological advancement
2013; Myoungjin & Sunghyup, 2019).
initiatives as one of the resources that saw
Unfortunately, the perception gap with
Therefore, since employee empathy helps
management achieve their goal of being
regards to empathy performance factors
to create an enjoyable guest experience
the ‘most trusted and respected brand
appears to be even wider with most
that motivates guests to write positive
worldwide’ (Schroeder, 2007).
employees stating that expatriates do not
reviews, recommend the services to friends
have sound communication competencies
and family and increases the chances of
Results from the analysis of assurance
to attend to guests’ needs and to perform
repeat custom, issues surrounding this
performance factor questions show
their role in F&B correctly and efficiently
performance factor need addressing.
“
a tighter gap in employee perception. Although most employees seem to agree that expatriates have the competencies to be customer focused, provide prompt service and work in a team to
ensure customers’
interest, the quantity of employees that neither
agree nor disagree with these statements are similar in
(figure 1.7). In The employees’ perceptions in relation
All data participants identified language, cultural barriers, teamwork, and lack of experience as common factors affecting SQ
to reliability are slightly more mixed. Whilst most believe that expatriates do not have the required competencies to perform service right the first-time round and lack the knowledge on industry standards, the perception gap on expatriates not having the competencies to solve guest issues and the required food safety knowledge is evidently tighter. Nonetheless, the majority employees rated the expatriates to be lacking attributes pertaining to the reliability dimension.
number (figure 1.6).
These results appear to differ with a
The importance given to the assurance
previous study carried out amongst
performance factor by the participants also
contrast,
employees in the United States that states
corresponds to a similar study carried out
the perception gap on the knowledge
how expatriates’ skills and knowledge leave
in the F&B department of Turkish hotels
expatriates must cater to various dietary
no negative effects on productivity (Borjas,
where assurance and responsiveness of
needs appears to be more balanced with a
2003). In contrast, they tend to coincide
service delivery were regarded as essential
slight majority of employees agreeing with
with results gathered by Marino et al.,
dimensions of SQ (Giritlioglu et al., 2013).
this statement.
(2011) that state ethnic diversity at work
The fact that the dimensions affecting the
lowers productivity.
empathy performance factors are rated so low conflicts with previous studies
To further test the relationship between
that earmark empathy as an important
expatriates’ F&B service competencies and
performance factor (Giritlioglu et al.,
SQ delivery, each pre-identified SERVPERF attribute discussed earlier (table 1.1) was
Figure 1.6
rated 1 to 5, thus assuming the perfect
SERVPERF assurance performance factor Strongly Agree
Agree
Neither Agree nor Disagree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
score to be 60. By indicating how close expatriates were to the presumed perfect score, this analysis was able to identify how SQ delivered by expatriates is rated according to the hotel’s F&B employees. At first glance, it is evident that most F&B employees perceive expatriates to provide
Expatriates have the skills to be customer focused
Expatriates have the skills to provide prompt service
Expatriates work in a team to ensure guest interest
poor SQ. This perception shares similar evidence with previous literature that Futouristic || 31
“
reports agency workers in Australian hotels to
correlates with primary data that identifies
lack commitment that negatively impacts their
expatriate employment as a necessity to meet
performance standards and provision of SQ
vacancy needs.
(Fu, 2015).
Additionally, there appears to be a significant The gathered results were divided according
correlation between collected focus group and
to respondent nationality, thus eliminating the
questionnaire data where the respondents’
possibility of distorted results due to potential
perceptions in relation to self-claimed versus
respondent bias. Indigenous respondents
industry specific service competencies are
appear to be torn between perceiving
closely related. However, when dividing the
expatriates as poorly skilled and highly skilled
gathered data according to respondent
in relation to SQ delivery. When compared to
nationality, results seemed to vary quite a
the assumingly perfect expatriate employee
bit, with the most prominent finding being
with a presumed score of 60, 27 percent
the high variance in self-claimed service
of the indigenous respondents perceived
competencies.
expatriates to offer a very low level of SQ (0 - 29) with 36 percent stating that expatriates
Complete opposites were noted during the
offer a very high level of SQ (50 - 60).
rating of self-claimed service competencies between expatriates and indigenous
In contrast, indigenous focus group
employees where it was distinguished
participants that have been working at the
that the service dimensions indigenous
hotel for several years confirmed that “SQ
employees considered to be their strong
offered in previous years comes nowhere
points, were regarded as the weakest points
close to that being offered today” and that
by the expatriates and vice-versa.
frequent guests “regularly comment on this.” Similarly, discussions with the Culinary
Both the management’s and the frontline
Director also uncovered issues of diminishing
employees’ perspectives seem to be like
SQ where it was confirmed that this issue was
one another, with the main difference being
captured by repeat guests. Gathered results
that according to focus group participants,
from the expatriate cohort yield similar data
not all employees truly possess claimed
with that gathered from the indigenous focus
competencies and that the notion of
group participants.
exceeding customer expectation referred to by the Culinary Director was not always
Whilst most of both cohorts rated the level of
adhered to.
SQ delivery by expatriates as being very low (0 – 29), it is interesting to note that the higher
Whilst most employees claim a school
percentage of employees stating so were
leaving certificate as their highest
expatriates themselves.
educational qualification, it is apparent that the indigenous cohort holds more
Conclusion
industry related qualifications. Likewise, the comparison between employees’ previous
Secondary data has revealed that the
F&B work experience and their length of
issue of labour shortage lies in the fact
employment within the hotel, shows that
that the number of vacancies outnumbers
certain expatriate employees had been
those indigenous workers willing to work
working within other departments before
(Malta Profile, 2017) mainly because after
moving to F&B. Similarly, staff turnover
attaining a hospitality qualification, most
analysis identified that whilst expatriate
indigenous employees are opting for jobs
employment was associated with high
with better working conditions (Jobs Plus,
staff turnover; their intentions were not to
2013; Darmanin, 2018). This data positively
leave Malta for good but to change hotels,
32 || Futouristic
The issue of labour shortage lies in the fact that the number of vacancies outnumbers those indigenous workers willing to work, mainly because after attaining a hospitality qualification, most indigenous employees are opting for jobs with better working conditions.
”
thus linking this phenomenon to the
scale should be used to highlight
hospitality experience including local cuisine
employment of agency workers.
the importance of employee service
and brief cultural background so that they
competencies in improving SQ through
are more at ease when it comes to carrying
guest contact.
a conversation with both colleagues and
All data participants identified language, cultural barriers, teamwork, and lack of
guests. In doing so, expatriates could be
experience as common factors affecting
The hypotheses initially presented at the
awarded an informal certificate that could
SQ. Most respondents stated that due to
beginning of this study were explored and
also improve the SQ they deliver through
extreme cultural differences between EU
based on the overall performance scores
training and empowerment.
and non-EU employees, it was difficult for
gathered; it is safe to conclude that there
expatriates to communicate and integrate,
exists a positive relationship between the
Similarly, experienced expatriates that
which could potentially affect the overall
expatriates’ service competencies and SQ
might have started an industry related
SQ offered. This was statistically confirmed
delivery within the hotel’s F&B department,
qualification in their home country but
where most questionnaire respondents
thus rejecting the null hypothesis that
never had the opportunity of completing
stated that the F&B server’s nationality
assumed a negative relationship between
it could be provided with the chance of
does alter the guests’ impression of SQ. A
expatriates’ service competencies and the
topping up their current qualification
significant correlation was also noted in
quality of service provided.
with credits from ITS courses. Such part-
relation to the responses that justified why study participants believe guests’ change
time courses will provide expatriates
Recommendations
their impression of SQ depending on their server’s nationality.
with a formal industry certificate and the opportunity to enhance their service
To increase employee commitment,
competencies.
management could further invest in Questionnaire data concluded that the
staff training and development through
Management could also establish on the
dimensions with the highest disagree
partnerships with the Institute of Tourism
job mentoring programmes that train and
scores were empathy, reliability, assurance,
Studies where onsite courses at the hotel
encourage high-skilled and experienced
and tangibles whilst the dimensions with
itself could be implemented with the
employees to be mentors to low-skilled
the highest agree scores were tangibles,
intention of instilling expatriates, that have
and inexperienced expatriates. This could
assurance, empathy, and reliability.
limited-service competencies and no F&B
facilitate dynamic competency growth
Since intangible factors are given more
experience, with a profound culture on the
through the F&B department whilst also
importance when compared to tangible
importance of SQ in F&B service.
fostering a sense of community amongst
factors (Coyle & Dale, 1993), results
Expatriates could also be given short
the staff.
gathered from this SERVPERF measurement
practical courses related to the Maltese
Figure 1.7
SERVPERF empathy performance factor Strongly Agree Agree Neither Agree nor Disagree Disagree Strongly Disagree
Expatriates have sound communication skills to attend to guest needs
Expatriates have the skills to serve F&B correctly and efficiently
Expatriates have knowledge to cater to various dietary needs Futouristic || 33
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entertainment-food-industry-butFutouristic || 35
The Institute of Tourism Studies unveils its Strategic Plan for 2021-2025
T
he Institute of Tourism
quality research, advice, and realisation of
considerable upskilling and re-skilling of
Studies (ITS), has
innovative business concepts.
workers especially since the number of
published its Strategic
graduates in this industry is very low in
Plan for 2021-2025.
The Tourism and Hospitality Industry
Malta. As the Institute for Tourism Studies
The result of extensive
is going through an important
has now ventured into the provision of
internal and external
transformation, even more so because
educational programmes at MQF Level 6
consultation with staff, partners and
of the Covid-19 pandemic, and ITS feels
(undergraduate) and Level 7 (Master’s),
stakeholders during the past two years,
now is the right opportunity to reposition
it can act as a key player in contributing
the plan aims to put ITS in a position
itself and the industry to provide a
towards the development of a better
to provide excellence and innovation in
higher quality infrastructure, experience
tourism product mix in the Maltese
tourism, through teaching and learning,
and service. This would in itself require
Islands.
“
NEW REVISED MISSION
Shaping Excellence and Innovation in Tourism, through teaching and learning, quality research, advice, and realisation of innovative business concepts
”
RESEARCH | EDUCATION | INNOVATION | ADVISORY
The Institute of Tourism Studies will
programmes combining technical, generic
players.
lead the transformation of tomorrow’s
and behavioural skills.
• Mentor entrepreneurs in successfully
international tourism industry by directing
• Deliver such programmes through a
commercialising innovative business
its resources to:
student centred and inclusive learning
concepts in the Tourism Industry.
• Create comprehensive and systematic
environment, integrating theory and
knowledge through high quality research,
practice whilst promoting modern
The above Mission and Vision will be
• Develop innovative and relevant higher
leadership approaches.
achieved through the development of the
and further education and training
• Provide expert advice to established
following core competencies.
36 || Futouristic
Research and Developments
or through the application of innovative
• Distinctive Leader in Quality Education
The Research and Development Unit is a
through the combination of client specific
blending Theory and Practice in defined
relatively new function that is expected
data and knowledge to expert advice and
tourism markets
to be set up within the Academy. The
experience of the advisory network of ITS.
• Student Centric Personalised Learning
Research and Development Function is
• International Reach and Spread
a vital element of the proposed new mix
• Catalyst for Entrepreneurship in Tourism
of the Academy since this is expected
• Agile Decision Making and Flexibility to
to reposition itself from a follower
Adapt to Change
into a leader in the Tourism Education
• Leveraging People and Technology as key
Industry. The first step for the Research
assets
and Development unit was the launch of
• Leading Change and Best Practices in the Tourism Industry
FUTOURISTIC, the ITS journal on Hospitality, Travel, Tourism and Culture.
“MISSION AND VISION”
concepts that leverage return on investment
Curriculum Development, Accreditation and Licensing The ITS continues improving its study programmes, as well as develop new study programmes for the needs and requirements of this changing industry. ITS will evaluate the current and future educational needs of the tourism industry with the aim to develop innovative, relevant and high quality accredited programmes content independently or in joint partnership with international institutions in order to subsequently assign rights for its delivery to qualified education delivery providers.
Education Programme Delivery The purpose of this unit is to achieve excellence in education to build tomorrow’s tourism leaders and professionals through the delivery of higher and further education programmes accredited through the official accreditation structures.
Training School The training school will place an emphasis on immediacy and is expected to provide
Advisory On the basis of the proposed Mission and Vision, the Institute for Tourism Studies will seek to take on multiple strategic routes with a view to enhance the achievement of the above objectives. The strategic plan’s vision is to lead the transformation of tomorrow’s international tourism industry by directing its resources towards the following key strategic business units.
a flexible programme which may not necessary lead to the award and/or
The Advisory Services function ties in
conferment of a formal qualification. The
seamlessly with the academic affairs of
Training School will also be targeting both
the Academy since it involves the practical
local and international markets in line with
application of concepts developed
its internationalisation strategy.
and disseminated through the various educational programmes that are delivered
Incubator
throughout the scholastic year. Create an environment and a support The overall purpose is to add value to
structure that acts as a catalyst for the
key industry players through improved
development, creation and sustainability of
efficiency, enhanced customer experience
innovative start-ups in the Tourism Industry in Malta. Futouristic || 37
Defining the Airport WORDS BY FIORENTINA DAR MENIA-JOCHIMSEN S enior L ecturer at I T S
38 || Futouristic
T
he International Air Transport Association (IATA), a trade association of the world’s airlines founded in 1945, defines an airport through the three descriptions, which
it states are of equal and relevant value. The first, dealing with movement, is that of ‘a facility where a transfer is made between the surface mode and the air mode’. The second, taking the marketing aspect is of ‘a commercial enterprise whose mission is to provide passengers and shippers with facilities and services that meet their needs’. Referring to the economic view, the third describes an airport as ‘a business centre with important local and regional economic benefits’, hence as ‘a complex intermodal facility meeting the needs of passengers and shippers’. (Introduction to Airport Operations, 2015, pp. 47-48.) The article entitled “Framework for airport outbound passenger flow modelling” provides a vivid depiction of an airport despite solely concentrating on the passenger. Here, the airport systems of ‘departure passenger flow and … arrival passenger flow’, are focused on. Procedural factors are then listed, such as ‘airport access facilities, check-in security screening and immigration for the former and baggage claims, customs and immigration for the latter. (2017, p.1101.) While these postulate a clear view of the facilities being dealt with by the airport, they fail to provide its factual characterisation. This characterisation is delineated by Kamau Kofi Smith in his dissertation entitled the “Impact of Airport Servicescape on Passengers Satisfaction”, where he analyses the ‘public area (non-sterile) and the secured area (sterile)’ parts of the airport. He depicts the open area as those sections including check-in, ticket sales and arrivals waiting. While the secured areas being mainly those concerning checkpoints for security, passport controls and lounges. He continues by further defining those sections within both areas which relate to the airport visitor and passenger’s specific requirements, namely chapels, restrooms, and smoking areas. However, no mention is made of the retail and food and beverage and entertainment outlets which are of equal relevance and importance for both the passenger and visitor alike, as well as to the airport itself. (2018, p.3.)
Futouristic || 39
“
Despite the various definitions of an airport, the trend is moving towards making an airport as attractive to the passenger and visitor as possible. The benefits of this are not solely for the financial development of the airport, but also serve, although some might disagree, as leverage for the country or area in its own right
”
40 || Futouristic
Huang, Xiao and Wang (2018), on the other
unusual perspective he applies to the
hand, describe the airport as a liminal
airport, as well as the effect this has on
space, where the possibility of the airport
the customer. His definition of a non-
reaching the point of becoming a ‘micro-
place positions the airport as a space
destination’ and an attraction in itself,
which is used daily but has no historical
rather than being solely an intermediate
or relational value, nor any concern on
point and a ‘means to an end’ is discussed.
involvement with identity. At airports,
Their research centres around the notion
according to Augé, humans remain
that, from as early as the 1960s, ‘rituals/
anonymous and alone in an area which
rites, liminality and communitas have
does not hold enough significance to be
been extensively explored’ concerning
regarded as a place and therefore does
travel and tourism. In their article, the
not contribute to the development of
authors propose that in the anthropology
their social identity (Augé, 1995, p.79).
of tourism, travel is an essential planned relief from ‘ordinary life’ and, as described
In one of her many articles Ellen
by Graburn (1977, p. 17) is very much a
Dunham-Jones reviews two books
‘sacred journey’. They posit the tourist
entitled Non-Places: Introduction to an
as the pilgrim whose ‘mental, expressive
Anthropology of Super Modernity and
and cultural needs’ are fused together.
Atlanda Photographs and Placing Identity
They further their application of Graburn’s
(2000) where she analytically reviews
work ‘through a ritual of reversal’. Here
Augé’s theory.
they associate the tourist’s experience of ‘the period or state of liminality in the
She supports Augé’s description of
non-ordinary places … visited’, with the
non-places as ‘exuding a sense of the
‘communitas’ whose ‘positive experiences
generic or prototypical’ where there is a
are not’ as easily obtainable at home.
‘lack of identity’ and relation ‘to anything
(Korstanje, 2015; Huang, Honggen, &
local and instead replaces the historical
Want, 2018, p..)
reference with the urgent perpetual present’.
In support of this concept, Wattanacharoensil, Schuckert, & Grahan (2016) argue about the importance of understanding airport experiences from the ‘sociological, psychological and service ‘marketing’ perspectives. Through this, they confirm the need of the airport to serve as a connection with the area, city or country and that passengers find that airports are ‘ambassadors or representatives’ of the same area, city or country. Despite being taken up by some and contradicted by other researchers, the referral to non-places by Marc Augé, is, here despite its age, worth mentioning due to the
She relates to Augé’s
highlighting ‘the degree to which wordless transactions and nonverbal communication dominate non-places’. The non-places where everyone is ‘addressed anonymously’ and personal identity is ‘subsumed’ under the airport temporary condition of passenger, guest and/or shopper. Identities that relate to ‘solitary contractuality’. (Dunham-Jones, 2000, p.15.) According to Augé, the concept of non-place opposes the notion of anthropological place, which he explains offers people a space that empowers identity, where they can meet others who share their ‘social references’. Augé states that non-places are those which constitute neither meeting spaces nor contain any common references to a building related to any group. Instead, he describes that in non-places the lack of concentration on the personality of each individual brings about detached and aloneness, therefore confirming that nonplaces augment the person’s isolation. (Augé, 1995, pp. 42-44) However, Augé’s somewhat unusual view is taken from the angle of an ethnologist. Shih Pearson (2018, pp. 37-39) points out that Augé‘s concept of airports is aged and prefers, instead, to relate to cultural theorists thinking of third space, defining the airport as a ‘global city, terraformer and heterotopia’. Dunham-Jones, on the other hand, explains that for the person employed at the mall, another by Augé defined non-places, the mall is not a non-place, nor an area of transition, but one where the employee is paid to attend
regularly. Furthermore, she points out that while malls in Italy are considered and utilised as non-places by the older generations, ‘digital natives’, in contrast, make use of the mall as a place for meeting friends, socialising and having fun. Hence providing for the deduction that the theory and perception of a non-place, is solely relevant when viewed through the eyes of some of the beholders, but certainly not for all. (Dunham-Jones, 2000, p. 15.) Despite the various definitions of an airport, the trend is moving towards making an airport as attractive to the passenger and visitor as possible. The benefits of this are not solely for the financial development of the airport, but also serve, although some might disagree, as leverage for the country or area in its own right. Here the airport’s input into customer satisfaction both at the initial and final stages of the visit to the country or area, serve to elevate or depreciate the travel experience of the whole journey.
31, 2020, from https://www. sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/ S1877705817302631?via%3Dihub Augé, M. (1995). Non-Places: Introduction to an Anthropology of Supermodernity. London: VERSO. Retrieved March 18, 2020, https://monoskop.org/ images/3/3c/Auge_Marc_Non-Places_ Introduction_to_an_Anthropology_ of_Supermodernity.pdf Braburn, N. H. (1977). Tourism: The Sacred Journey. Hosts and guests: The anthropology of tourism (pp. 17-31). Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press. Retrieved March 25, 2020, http://files.umwblogs.org/ blogs.dir/8190/files/sacredjourney. pdf Dunham-Jones, E. (2000, January). Placing Identity. Direct Behaviour Rating - Humanism and Posthumanism Reviews, 114-117. Introduction to Airport Operations. (2015). Geneva: International Air Transport Association. Retrieved July
References
02, 2016, from https://training.iata. org/
Alodhaibi, S., Burdett, R. L., & Yarlagadda, P. K. (2017). Framework
Shih Pearson, J. (2018). Persistent
for airport outbound passenger flow
Place or Thirdspace? In
modelling. Procedia Engineering,
Choreographing the Airport (pp.
174, 1100-1109. Retrieved March
37-60). Cham: Palgrave Pivot. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-69572-3_2 Smith, K. K. (2018, June). The Impact of Airport Servicescape on Passengers Satisfaction. Georgia: Gerogia State University. Retrieved December 28, 2019, from https://scholarworks. gsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent. cgi?article=1113&context=bus_ admin_diss
Futouristic || 41
Korean tourism in Malta: A strategy for the expansion and sustainability of Malta’s tourism market R ESE A RCH BY EUN YOUNG K I M
H igher N ational D i p loma
in
T ourist G uiding
E D IT E D B Y D AV I D PA C E
T
his study aims to
bilateral relations were normalized
yet, considering the growing demand for
promote and develop
in January 1988. Since then, Malta
flights to Malta in South Korea and the
Malta tourism
and South Korea have been actively
demand of Northeast Asia countries that
specialised in Korean
pursuing political, economic, and cultural
do not have direct flights to Malta, there is
characteristics,
cooperation. In September 1989, Nam Ki
a possibility that the application for traffic
and find examples
Lee, a special presidential envoy, came to
rights will be made soon. (Choi, 2019). In
of efforts made by other countries to
Malta to celebrate the 15th anniversary
addition to the agreement of air traffic
promote the Korean outbound tourism
of the Independence of Malta, and in
rights, the MTA (Malta Tourism Authority)
market, seeking ways to promote the
August 1990, Prime Minister of Malta
hosted the 2019 Product seminar with
Korean market through expert interviews
Edward Fenech Adami visited South Korea.
Alitalia airlines to further promote Malta
and provide services that can sustain it.
Most recently, Foreign Minister Byung Se
to Korea. Alitalia operated the Incheon –
This study can be a stepping-stone for
Yun visited Malta in July 2016 to agree
Rome – Malta routes before the Covid-19
Malta, for developing Northeast Asian
to provide new momentum for a leap
pandemic, which provided 4 flights a
and Asian tourism markets, and to further
forward in bilateral relations and agreed to
week from Incheon to Rome and daily
grow the Korean market and strengthen
further develop regional and multilateral
flights from Rome to Malta, which strongly
the Malta-South Korea relations beyond
cooperation. (Overseas.mofa.go.kr. 2020)
supports South Korea – Malta relations by
tourism.
Malta and South Korea Relations Malta and South Korea established diplomatic relations in April 1965, but diplomatic relations were frozen in September 1971 after the Labour government refused to accept the credentials of the South Korean ambassador. After the Nationalist Party government took power in May 1987, 42 || Futouristic
operating flights. (Kim, 2019) In 2019, Malta aimed to more actively promote Korea. At the Korea-Malta aviation conference held in Seoul in April 2019, the two countries agreed to allow three weekly flights between the two countries. Accordingly, if any national airlines apply for the air traffic rights, direct flights between S. Korea and Malta can be established up to three times a week. Although no Korean national airline is preparing the launch of Malta
Marketing for Korean Tourism The key to a successful marketing campaign is to find successful Korean tour marketing cases in other countries that used to be barren of Korean tourism and focus on these success stories. One of the easiest ways to access the Korean market is through TV Media.
S tudent
Many European countries, which used to
to the Korean market. In 2013, a Korean
Among them, Vietnam’s small cities, Phu
be barren of Korean tourists, had great
broadcaster hosted a travel program set
Quoc and Nha Trang which became the
promotional success through Korean
in Croatia, and as a result, 252,000 Korean
biggest beneficiaries. Vietnam is already
media. Among them, the Czech Republic is
tourists visited Croatia in 2014. This
a well-known destination for South
the fastest growing tourist destination for
was five times the number of Korean
Koreans and Da Nang is one of the
Koreans.
visitors in 2012. Croatia’s tourism
most visited cities. The number of South
industry accounts for about 15 percent
Korean tourists to Vietnam in 2018
The Czech Republic, which projects a good
of GDP and about 7 billion Euros a
jumped 44.3 percent to 3.48 million in a
image of Eastern Europe for Koreans,
year. Official figures in the first nine
single year, continuing an upward trend
was not a popular tourist destination
months of 2014 showed that the tourism
over the past few years. (Pham, 2019)
for Koreans compared to other western
industry earned 6.7 billion Euros or 2.5
European countries. In 2005, a Korean
percent more than the same period a
With the launch of new flights by Eastar
broadcaster produced a Korean TV
year earlier (South China Morning Post.
Jet and T’way Air which are low-cost
romance drama set in Prague, the capital
2015).
airlines in February 2019, Phu Quoc
of the Czech Republic. (Johnston, 2017) As
research
tourism rose by a yearly 81 percent
a result, the number of Korean tourists
Due to this popularity, Korean Air
followed by Nha Trang with another
doubled in two years from 50,000 in
operated direct flight Incheon – Zagreb
yearly 10 percent gain. Phu Quoc is a
2005. (Soper, n.d) to 290,000 visitors in
in September 2018 (Fabinger, 2020).
UNESCO-designated biosphere reserve
2017 and 26.8 percent growth compared
The Croatian example is a reminder
that has a clean and beautiful landscape
to 2016 (Kuritkove, 2018). In addition to
that the Maltese tourism industry can
and Nha Trang also has a long, wide
this growth, Prague is not only a tourist
also develop new regional markets with
tropical beach, which is 6 km long
city but also a stable and mature market
the appropriate publicity. It is possible
and is called the Asiatic Naples. So
for Koreans and is now receiving a lot
to tap into the Korean tourism market
natural attractions are common to both
of investment economically from South
using direct flights instead of the Korean
destinations and for South Koreans,
Korea (Thomson, 2019). Most recently,
Media. In 2019, a number of south-east
who are plagued by air pollution, the
another country has suddenly become
Asian airlines created direct flights to
two cities provide ‘clean air, blue sky’
popular with Koreans for the same
less well-known destinations causing
destinations and are expected to grow
reason. Croatia was an unknown land
a change in the flow of sky routes.
rapidly (Seo, 2019). Futouristic || 43
Interview
with a
Korean
travel agency in
South Korea
Qualitative data about the current demand
destination where Arab and European cultures
How will Korea’s outbound trend change
and status of the Malta tour market in South
mix, but there are many things to see, but not
in the future? (Eg – Individual travel will
Korea was obtained by interviewing a major
enough to attract Koreans to visit.
increase, and 1-day city tour packages are likely to increase in popularity.)
travel agency located in South Korea. The travel agency was established in 1993 and
What is the prospect of tourism in Malta?
ranks first in sales and customer satisfaction
Travel is expected to change from package to
(Hana Tour: Global No.1 Culture and Tourism
Due to the increase in individual travel and
individual and free travel. While package tours
Group, n.d.). The interview was conducted with
FIT (Foreign Independent Tour) travel, the
will not be eliminated, there will be an increase
the Deputy Section Chief of the travel agency.
prospect of tourism is good, but there are
in new forms of packages or occasional
Due to the Covid-19 situation, the interview
many problems that need to be solved. The
one-day tours that will take advantage of the
was conducted through e-mail.
positive factor of Malta tourism is its English-
individuality of the tourist. In addition, not only
speaking population and the cheap prices of
will domestic travel increase but tours will be
Name: Jun Hoe Heo
its resorts. In addition, there are various one-
based on various flexible travel packages such
Title: Deputy section chief
day tour packages offered by ‘My Real Trip’,
as one-day tours or experiences provided by
Email: tudojune@hanatour.com
and the fact that Malta has been introduced
foreign travel companies.
through the TV series ‘Games of the Thrones’ What is the current Korean demand for
recently, so prospects are good. However, it is
What is the most urgent need in preparing
tourism in Malta and the image of tourism
far from South Korea and there are no direct
Malta to attract Korean tourists and
in Malta?
flights. Even if there were flights, these last 9
sustainable forms of tourism? (Eg – Korean
hours and tourists like to stay for more than 7
audio guide, training Korean tour guide,
I think the demand for tourism in Malta is
days, so I still think it is not attractive enough.
developing souvenirs, etc.)
still not high in Korea. Of course, there is
It will remain a vacation spot for 2-3 days tied
occasional demand for tourism, but it seems
together with other Mediterranean/European
First, it is essential to develop special content
to be limited to tourism for special purposes
destinations.
to attract travelers to Malta. For example,
rather than general tourism.
Hawaii needs content that customers can What is the current trend of outbound
firmly recognize such as Honeymoon tours,
First, there is a demand from honeymooners,
tourism in South Korea? (Considering
while they visit Guam to shop for Gucci,
but it is not well known as other regions, and it
decreases in package tours, and more
Vladivostok because it is close to Europe, and
is thought to be a second option or a two-day
personal backpacking, and local one-day
Bali for surfing.
stopover, not the main destination.
tour packages that are gaining popularity.)
Second, we can’t find a Malta-only product
In a worldwide trend of decrease in package
broadcasts and channels such as
among the package products. Europe is a
travel and increase in individual travel, the
entertainment and dramas are needed based
long-stay destination compared to other
demand for individual travel is expected
on the content. I think active investment is
regions, and I think there is no reason and no
to increase even more after the Covid-19
essential in this regard due to the explosive
profitability to stay for more than 7 days in
pandemic. It is expected that the one-day tour
increase in the demand for overseas tourist
Malta.
will be popular, not just a package tour guide,
attractions such as teen TV drama ‘Boys over
but VIP, and small-scale group guided tours
flowers’, soap-opera ‘Descendants of the Sun’,
Third, Malta’s main image is that of an
that can experienced in person and locally, not
and Supernatural Fantasy ‘Goblins’.
inexpensive English language learning
just by looking at tourist attractions and taking
destination. This is an image of a place where
pictures.
Second, continuous exposure to influential
you can study English at a lower price than in
Third, I think it will be more efficient to attract Korean tourists by direct flight after the two
England or other English-speaking countries
For example, Airbnb offers a variety of
above are laid out. I understand that three
while feeling the atmosphere of Europe as an
experiences such as picking grapes and
direct flights a week were operated by Alitalia
English-speaking country.
learning K-pop dance at an Italian wine farm,
in 2019, but there was a lack of publicity and
Fourth, it’s a very small island and a holiday
rather than the usual one-day city tour, and
marketing to the extent that even travel
spot for Europeans. I think it is a tourist
such personal tours are likely to increase.
agents didn’t know about it.
44 || Futouristic
Interview
with a
Korean
travel agency in
South Korea
To find out about the demand and actual
year (2021). Since the Seoul Metropolitan
is not yet well known in South Korea has
situation of the Korean tourist market in
Government has announced that they will
a possibility of becoming one such new
Malta, Mr. Shingo Endo, Japan & South
support 500 MICE companies located in
destination. To become so, research was
Korea Representative of MTA (Malta
Seoul with a projected cost of 5 million
conducted to learn more about product
Tourism Authority) was interviewed. The
won each. In order to prepare in advance
development and attracting South Korean
main purpose of the interview was to find
for MICE companies, they are virtually
tourists according to the characteristics
out the exact status of Korean outbound
closed to open events so that they can
of South Korean tourists. This provided a
tourism in Malta and see what Malta is
proactively respond to MICE trends that
number of conclusions:
preparing for the Korean tourism market.
have changed since the end of the new
Due to the current situation of Covid-19,
coronavirus infection. The purpose is to
1. It is necessary to develop products
the interview was conducted through
support a minimum cost as a preparation
specially tailored to South Korean
e-mail.
for each event.
characteristics. Currently, South Korea’s
Many interesting points were discussed with Mr. Shingo Endo and the MTA. Regarding the current demand and state of the Korean Tourism market in Malta, it was revealed that the main reasons Koreans visit Malta three: 1. Overseas study (English learning) 2. Honeymoon 3. Historical tourism (FIT & Group) Figure 1 shows that the number of Korean visitors to Malta is increasing by about 2,000 every year, starting from 3,545 who visited Malta in 2017. It is important to note that the number of English learning Korean students is similar every year, but the number of tourists is increasing every year. In this regard, the MTA normally participates in the main travel fair in South Korea (SITIF, BITF, HANA TOUR Travel Fair, MODE Tour Travel Fair, etc.) and in overseas events in the main Korean cities (Seoul and Busan) to increase the
tourism trend is not about package tours,
Conclusion
but individual trips and daily local tour
Since the declaration of the liberalisation of overseas travel in 1989, the Republic of Korea has achieved rapid economic, industrial, and tourism development. Among these, the overseas tourism sector in Korea is breaking records every year, and so, many countries have already prepared a lot for the Korean tourist market.
programmes. In line with this, Malta should more actively support Korean language services for the convenience of individual South Korean travelers. Currently, there is not a single tourist attraction in Malta that supports Korean language services. 2. More aggressive promotion is needed. So far, the South Koreans’ image of tourism in Malta is that of a vacation spot
The range of South Koreans’ choice of overseas destinations is gradually expanding although the top priority in South Koreans’ preference for travel destinations is the popularity of the tourist destinations. As a result, many countries that were not known to South Koreans have recently been placed in the spotlight as preferred destinations. Malta, which
or a temporary stop during tours to other European countries. Malta’s presence on tourist circuit is not known by many South Koreans. Recently, various video and TV broadcasts are slowly making Malta more known to South Koreans, and this is resulting in
Figure 1: Annual figures of Korean visitors to Malta
visibility of the Maltese touristic product. There is also Media promotion (TV
YEAR
S. KOREA TOURIST
S. KOREA STUDENT
marketing tool.
2017
2,514
1,031
MTA is also planning to promote MICE
2018
4,518
1,004
2019
6,088
1,156
programs, Drama, etc.) and the planning of a Malta promotion video created by a Korean production company in 2021 as a
(Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) in Malta much strongly next
Futouristic || 45
higher numbers of South Korean visitors
It is also regrettable that the current
detailed and accurate conversations with
every year. At this point, Malta must
South Korean tourist market is almost at
the interviewees. It is also regrettable that
destination, people will tend to visit tourist
the first stages of development in Malta,
the demand for Maltese tourism has been
attractions that are not well-known. Malta
so there is no previous precedent, and
stopped in South Korea due to restrictions
is a country that fits this requirement
it has to follow other countries’ cases
on Korean overseas travel, so it was not
and the MTA is already preparing for a
even though these might not be directly
possible to conduct a survey on South
new promotion to South Korea in 2021,
relevant to South Korean tourism.
Korean tourists visiting Malta directly.
It is important that MTA follows the
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Photo by Daniel Nijland on Unsplash
A HACCP System for the new ITS Campus At SmartCity WORDS BY JOSEPH CASINGENA LEC TURER AT IT S
The author has developed a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) system that fits the purpose of the Institute and serves as a showcase for the catering industry. This was the result of findings through research, interviews and questionnaires distributed to external stakeholders, ITS staff and students at different levels, which were then published in a Master’s thesis.
T
he ITS HACCP manual
standard operating procedures, food safety
a Food Safety Management System is to
has been adopted
hazards pertaining to the individual working
prepare, safe and innovative food in an
and is limited to
groups and how to control these hazards.
environment and culture which promotes
individual working
Given that the institute hosts individuals
continuous improvement; promotes creativity
group requirements,
with limited educational backgrounds and
and innovation; and nurtures the right attitude
students, support
nationalities, the language used is very simple
of wellbeing and positivity and a sense of
staff and lecturers. The handbook contains
and well understood thereby ensuring a clear
customer satisfaction.
essential information that one must have to
understanding.
ensure food safety. Such information includes the ITS Food Safety Policy, responsibilities,
48 || Futouristic
ITS can achieve this by ensuring that the Pegged with quality assurance the role of
processes are owned by the various players,
who work in harmony with all stakeholders
to all those involved in the food chain. Now
that the CCP is not controlled or the critical
in the food chain, share the same values and
HACCP is a legal requirement in accordance
limits have not been achieved then a
create a learning platform not just for our
to EU852 2004 and 853 2004 whereby the
corrective action has to be taken to ensure
students but for the industry in general.
system has to be applied all through the food
the process is returned to safety. Typical
chain from farm to fork. The system is an
corrective actions include the further cooking
essential requisite for due diligence defence
of high-risk food or disposing a high-risk food
should there be a food safety issue.
product that has been at ambient conditions
Origins Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point
for too long a time.
(HACCP) was developed in 1959 by the
The World Health Organisation and the
NASA space programme during the first
Food and Agricultural Organistation have
Step 6 : Establish verification procedures
manned space missions, the Pilsbury Dough
made the system more user friendly through
Observations that are over and above simply
Company and the US army were also
the Codex Alimentarius thanks to their
monitoring to ensure that the requirements
involved in the project. As one can imagine
publications, such as Food Hygiene Basic
of HACCP are observed. These can take the
food poisoning especially Salmonella and
Texts 4th edition (2009). Laws have been
form of audits or inspections.
Staphylococcus aureus are not an option
designed in line with these publications.
in Zero-G conditions, and these can lead to
“
Step 7 : Establish documentation
fatalities and there also were food safety
EU Reg 852 2004 On (Hygiene Of Foodstuffs)
All records of traceability, monitoring and
issues with the US army during its military
particularly requires that the food industry
corrective actions must be kept so that if an
campaign in Korea. The idea of HACCP
has to follow the 7 steps to HACCP in
issue of food safety arises, these are used as
has been derived from a similar proactive
accordance with the Codex:
engineering approach known as Failure
Mode Effect Analysis (FMEA) which in its
Step 1 : Conduct a hazard analysis
essence depicts the effects of failure in
Listing of all the potential hazards related to
engineering systems that can have very
food processes. Our responsibility at ITS is
adverse reactions depending on the scope of
to track all process flows from the intake of
the engineering project.
raw material up to the service of food.
Though HAACP was created for the space
Step 2 : Determine the critical control
age, essentially it is not rocket science and
points (CCP)
the philosophy behind it is very simple. In
A CCP is a step in the food process where
the past, HACCP food safety was based on
control is essential, otherwise food safety of
what was known as end product testing.
the end product is not guaranteed. E.g. core
Though it might seem straightforward, end-
temperature of high risk food or potential
product testing relied on final laboratory
foreign body in food.
testing before its release and any sort of contamination of the final product meant
Step 3 : Establish critical limits
that the product had to be destroyed.
Parameters of CCP’s that cannot be exceeded. E.g. High risk food should be kept
HACCP takes a more proactive approach
at a temperature of less than 5°C if cold or
whereby all the processes that are involved
above 63°C if hot.
in the product line are checked for errors that might occur at every step - the so-called
Step 4 : Establish system to monitor CCP
critical control points.
Continuous observations of a CCP to ensure
EU Laws Throughout the years HACCP has been proven to be the most effective way of managing food safety because it is simple, cost effective and confers a responsibility
a tool in due diligence defence.
that the process is safe. E.g. Checking of refrigeration temperatures of high risk food or the checking of internal cooking temperatures of poultry. Step 5 : Establish corrective action If the result of the monitoring is showing
HACCP takes a more proactive approach whereby all the processes that are involved in finishing a product are checked for errors that might occur at every step of the process, the so-called critical control points.
”
Futouristic || 49
A heritage trail around the village of Żurrieq: An analysis based on reviews by tourists and Maltese nationals RESE ARCH BY CHAR M AINE MERCIEC A
H igher N ational D i p loma
in
T ourist G uiding
Photo by Charmain Mercieca: The Xarolla windmill and chapel dedicated to St Andrew in Żurrieq
T
Method
his article is based on
the Maltese islands concentrated in a
a study, conducted
single village. Walking around the Xarolla
by the author,
area and the village core will take you
Part of the data for the study was
which analyses
from the Punic era to post-war Malta,
collected through the use of two
the potential to
spanning the various epochs in between.
sets of questionnaires. One set was
create tours for
Although already popular with tourists
formulated for Maltese nationals and
destinations which are not so popular
and locals for its seaside attractions,
the other for tourists and expats. These
with tourists and Maltese nationals. The
the village itself is quite off the beaten
questionnaires were used to determine
study focuses on the village of Żurrieq
track and merits more exposure as it still
the level of interest in the promoted tour
and examines what it offers and how it is
retains the characteristics of a traditional
as well as the level of detail and data
appealing to tourists.
Maltese village.
that the tour goers would be interested in.
Through the analysis of the findings, the
The objective of the study was to create
study clearly illustrates that the creation
a new type of tour aimed at tourists and
of structured tours in any location in
locals who are interested in exploring
Malta can prove to be of interest to
in-depth a particular village where
tourists, exposing better Maltese history
in addition to the regular historical
and culture, ensuring its survival in the
information, tours are enriched with
This questionnaire was intended to
future and attracting a more varied
a series of curious facts, interesting
provide data of knowledge the average
range of tourists which will help the
accounts and anecdotes related to the
Maltese had on Żurrieq and the interest
economy to flourish.
site/building/monuments, etc. being
of locals for the type of tour that the
visited. This will hopefully form the
author is proposing. It was carried out
grounds for the creation of a new type
on 25 Maltese nationals who came from
of niche tourism which can be applied to
the different localities around Malta.
other localities in Malta.
Their age groups ranged from 20 to 65
Introduction Żurrieq offers a visual of the history of 50 || Futouristic
Discussion
of the
Results
Maltese Nationals Questionnaire
S tudent
“
years. Of the 25 respondents 1 person
The set of
despite being a Maltese resident, never
questions
visited Żurrieq. The participants were
(figure
asked to name one or more landmarks in
2) were
Żurrieq. It is important to point out that
tour related,
those who mentioned Wied iż-Żurrieq
in which the
were not aware that it forms part of the
author assessed
nearby village of Qrendi.
the criteria for tour goers to
Walking around the Xarolla area and the village core will take you from the Punic era to post-war Malta, spanning the various epochs in between
The respondents were asked four
select a tour, their
questions in order to assess their
preparation and areas of
knowledge about Żurrieq. While a
interest – with specific focus on
number of respondents answered
anecdotes, curious facts and interesting
the questions correctly, others lacked
accounts.
knowledge about Żurrieq strengthening the fact that a specific tour of the town
Tourist and Expat Questionnaire
is required (figure 1). This however was backed up by 100% of the respondents
The questionnaire was completed by
answering that they would be interested
25 foreigners who came from the UK,
in a tour that would explore the various
Italy, Germany, Spain, Greece, Russia,
archaeological and historical sites in
USA, China and Japan. The interviewees
Żurrieq. This clearly indicates that locals
were 20 tourists and 5 expats, and the
are willing to learn about Żurrieq, and
scope of the visit of the tourists was also
possibly other locations via an in-depth
identified. 11 of the tourists interviewed
tour of the locality.
research
were on their first visit to Malta and 9 had visited Malta more than once. Their age group ranged from 20 to 75 years. Those who heard or had been to Żurrieq were those who had already visited Malta before. The respondents were also asked to name a landmark in Żurrieq. While 8 didn’t know any, especially the first-time visitors, Wied iż-Żurrieq and Blue Grotto were by far the most popular destinations known by tourists. Futouristic || 51
However none were aware that Wied iż-
that there was limited or no knowledge
suggestions and recommendations for
Żurrieq formed part of the nearby village
of Żurrieq even by the local population.
other places similar to Żurrieq which they
Qrendi.
Conversing with some of the locals who
could visit, as they were intrigued by a
filled in the questionnaire, it was noted
village that not only retains the traditional
As seen previously with the results of the
that they were unaware that Żurrieq had
way of life, but also has a significant
Maltese respondents, 100% of the foreign
such a long and rich history, and they
historical importance.
respondents answered that they would
expressed a specific interest for a tour as
be interested in taking a specific tour of
was being proposed in the study.
Conclusion
that similar niche tours are needed and
On the other hand, the first time tourists
This study made evident the interest
there is a high demand for them.
were intrigued by this village after they
there is for tours that highlight the
Żurrieq, further strengthening the fact
completed the questionnaire. Even the
typical Maltese way of life, tradition and
The set of questions (figure 3) is aimed
tourists that had visited Malta more than
culture, which sadly is disappearing from
at identifying the criteria that make the
once were interested in learning more
a lot of villages and cities, and hopefully
tours interesting for the tourists. As
about Żurrieq as their knowledge of the
Żurrieq will retain this aspect as it is still a
expected, the results are quite similar to
village was limited to the most common
village that hasn’t been contaminated by
those of Maltese nationals.
tourist attractions which are popular for
modernisation. This further confirms the
the sea and views they offer.
existence of a niche of tourists that given
The results of both questionnaires came
the opportunity would take this kind of
out positive in both cases. Both Maltese
The majority of both tourists and expats
tour. This factor, will not only increase
and foreigners showed a marked interest
were eager to visit Żurrieq, asked more
tourism, but will also help maintain and
in visiting the village once they knew
questions about the historical aspect of
preserve the Maltese culture and way of
what it had to offer. The findings showed
the village. Some tourists even asked for
life.
Figure 2: The criteria for tour goers to select a tour, their preparation & area of interest 1. A thorough historical explanation of the site/ remains/ buildings/ artefacts, etc. you are visiting 2. The importance and interest of curious facts, interesting accounts and anecdotes, associated with the sites being visited 3. In view of a tour, how likely are you to make preliminary research about the sites that you are going to visit? 4. Are cultural places and events of interest to you? 5. After a tour, how likely would it be that you return to the location to find out more on your own? 6. Will knowing more about the history of a location make you more willing to revisit the site?
52 || Futouristic
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Figure 1: Almost half the respondents aren’t aware of Żurrieq’s rich heritage but they’re most interested in a tour of the town
In Zurrieq we can find archeological sites from all eras of Maltese history
14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0
True
False
Don’t know
Figure 3: The criteria that make the tours interesting for the tourists 1. A thorough explanation of the site/ remains/ buildings/ artefacts, etc. you are visiting 2. The importance and interest of curious facts, interesting accounts and anecdotes, associated with being visited 3. In view of a tour, how likely are you to make preliminary research about the sites that you are going to visit? 4. Are cultural places and events of interest to you? 5. Would you be interested in a tour that explores also the cultural aspect of Zurrieq apart from the historial aspect ? 6. How do you feel about taking a tour that is restricted to a small area of the village - which however showcases several locations, sites and cultural aspects? 7. After a tour, how likely would it be that you return to the locations to find out more on your own? 8. Will knowing more about the history of a location make you more willing to revisit the site?
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
Futouristic || 53
In search of a new Wanderlust
Photo by Erik Odin on Unsplash
Students of the Diploma in Travel and Tourism at ITS have a clear idea of what constitutes sustainable, yet exciting, travel and tourism in a post Covid-19 scenario. Three diploma students – Alexia Borg Shields, Miguel Bugeja, and Julianne Micallef - share with how they envision this future. The following contributions were part of their coursework for a practical ICT-related unit where they utilised online platforms to create blogs, Facebook pages and other digital content.
Up & Away Alexia Borg Shields
cramped plane seats, and we are finally on
new online blog: “Up & Away – Travel Tips”.
W
the road to re-discover the world!
The main goal of “Up & Away” is to guide prospective travellers from day one, which
anderlust!
Many of us face multiple issues when it
is the day they decide to travel abroad, till
What a
comes to travelling. It could be a simple
the end of their trip on the way back home.
powerful
problem; for example, you forget your
Primarily, one must check and compare
word.
toothpaste, or it can be one heck of a
flights from different airlines. One must not
headache, like being overweight (the
only keep an eye for the lowest price, but it
luggage, not your head) after a shopping
is important to be flexible with travel dates.
Unfortunately, we cannot presently use
spree in London. Many issues can be
Go for the national airline if possible, book
this travelling adjective because of the
avoided in advance through simple
your flights well in advance and finally a
current situation we are living in due to the
planning and research. This is what I have
personal suggestion, book on the cheapest
pandemic. I bet you have that particular
managed to do in order to help all those
days (Monday to Wednesday at around
trip or holiday already planned so that once
newbies who are travelling for the first time
midnight seems to be the right time).
we get the green light, we are back at the
or even for the experienced who just love
airport, we are back at the duty-free shops
to go abroad multiple times a year.
If you are planning to go for a relaxing
buying cheap perfume, we are back in the
It is my pleasure to introduce you to my
cruise, then you need to take a completely
54 || Futouristic
S tudent
“
My advice? Every time you take a trip, make a list!
different approach. Most importantly, the
vary
best option is to use a travel agent, then
from taxis,
you need to understand and know the
buses etc;
additional fees, book early to get cheap
3. Know what
prices and cabin availabilities, think long
you want to spend
and hard about a drink package (trust
money on like hotels,
me think about it!) and avoid expensive
tours, and transportation;
occasions. Wear your bulky items, do
internet packages. Cruising is all about
4. Create your ideal budget, write down
not pack them. Do not fold your clothes
experiencing new destinations and
all the things you want to do and how
but roll them. Weigh your bag before
making new friends. It does not have to
much they will cost.
you get to the airport so that you will
be about overspending or staying on the
5. Keep track of all your expenses, track
not pay the overweight baggage fees.
internet 24/7 (it should be a holiday!).
every expense from accommodation to
Photocopy interesting pages of a guide
It will take some research but saving
that snack you purchased. An important
and lastly opt for a soft sided suitcase
several hundred euros could well be
tip is to just be smart and realistic about
since it offers more pockets, expansion
worth it.
your budget so that you can make your
opportunities to squeeze in a few more
money last longer. If you are planning
items.
road. Do not pack more than two pairs of shoes only pack one casual
pair and one pair for formal
One must also know how to stretch their
to go for a long holiday, then you need
travel money by going through these 5
some tips on how to pack light. Some
We are slowly approaching the end of
steps:
travellers opt to overpack, which is never
this pandemic and thanks to the roll out
a good idea.
of vaccinations, we are seeing the light
1. Do your research and plan
research
at the end of the tunnel. I hope that you
beforehand, most importantly know
My advice? Every time you take a trip,
have saved money and have your travel
what you want to spend money on;
make a list! Know exactly what you
plans ready, because now it’s time to get
2. Check transport costs since these may
should pack and do your laundry on the
Up and Away!
Futouristic || 55
An Eco-Escape Miguel Bugeja First and foremost, you need to understand the term ‘sustainability’ to comprehend the importance of sustainable tourism. Initially you can practice sustainability by switching from disposable to re-usable items, such as replacing paper napkins with cloth napkins. Sustainability will make a difference to our environment, and by our daily actions we’ll make it a better
“ place.
While travelling, we make use of many disposable items, harmful/toxic materials (such as detergents used in hotels to clean linens), restaurants and cafes (food and its waste), and transport. The carbon footprint generated by these items results in a negative impact on the environment, e.g. using a wax cup with a plastic lid for hot drinks instead of a
Travelling sustainably isn’t just to feel proud of yourself and posting a picture of it on Instagram, it encourages everyone around you to follow suite and be more sustainable.
56 || Futouristic
reusable cup. The installation of a carbon
opting for natural materials such as
footprint calculator on your mobile
cotton, and wool, and those made
device before leaving for a trip will guide
from recycled materials. Other ideal
you throughout your stay.
sustainable activities include support towards small businesses, protected
Airlines tend to use many disposable
parks and marine zones, doing voluntary
items such as coffee cups, plastic cutlery,
work in nature parks or sanctuaries and
plastic packaging and so on. One could
visiting sustainable sites such as Nail’s
avoid these by taking your own cutlery
Yard, London, offering a variety of shops,
set and travelling cup (ideal for both hot
restaurants and services that are organic.
and cold beverages). You can choose from many different types of transport,
Travelling sustainably isn’t just about
whether you’re adventurous or not. You
feeling proud of yourself and posting
could always walk or take bike rides in
a picture on Instagram, it encourages
cities and even in the country. If you
everyone around you to follow suit and
opt for a taxi, look out for electric or
be more sustainable. It is the foundation
hybrid vehicles. Some countries are
of new way of life that will make the
already converting their public transport
world a better place.
to electric buses, such as in England and Holland. Trains and metros are an efficient means of transport as they carry a lot of passengers in terms of space and do not use fossil fuels. Vacation rentals can save on energy consumption compared to hotels. Usually hotels keep the common areas lighting on for 24/7, however, when you stay in a rental you can switch them on only when necessary. B&Bs could be another good choice since they are smaller than hotels, so easier to adapt to a sustainable system and everything is produced for smaller number of guests, reducing food wastage where catering is concerned. You can dine responsibly by looking out for restaurants that use locally grown or organic products. Choosing fish restaurants in overfished destinations should be avoided. Opting for vegetablebased dishes is also better, as research is increasingly pointing to meat production being a major factor in climate change. Shopping will most probably be part of your itinerary. Try looking for products labelled ‘Fairtrade’, any cruelty free labels and the ‘GOTS’ (organic textiles). You should also avoid textiles which are polyester or acrylic, instead
Scenic walks in MaltaJulianne Micallef I have decided to use Instagram, Facebook, and Blogger to talk about hiking in Malta immersing ourselves in natural beauty. I have used www.blogger. com to create a website and talk about what routes to take and providing specific directions. I use Facebook to promote my website whenever I update it and whenever I describe a new route. Finally, I used Instagram to post the pictures taken during the hikes. My inspiration behind this concept was the pandemic itself. Ever since the pandemic reached Malta and the number of cases shot up, people started to get scared and so they chose either to stay indoors or else go for walks in the countryside to keep the social distance. I took a chance to start writing about scenic walks in Malta to not only enjoy Malta’s beauty but have a breath of fresh air when it is needed. Scheduling time into your weekend or even throughout the week to go on a walk/hike may lead to many positive things. These include lower
blood pressure, better quality of life,
my favourite one since I love being near
photos and using hashtags effectively.
boosts your serotonin, improves sleep,
the sea and during this walk, you feel
This platform was the best way to
and reduces anxiety and enhances
close to nature surrounded by majestic
interact using pictures. Many people get
relationships with friends and family.
sea cliffs. Spring is the best time to go for
inspired from just looking at pictures and
Studies suggest that to maintain mental
these walks since you will find the island
that is enough to start blogging.
well-being throughout the pandemic, it is
lush with greenery, colourful wild flowers
advisable to go outside. Whether this is hiking, walking or even just going out for a breath of fresh air, this will surely help
“
you to stay
and our wonderful sun that never disappoints to come out behind the clouds even if it just for
on track. Today,
https://www.healthyfamiliesbc.ca/home/ blog/health-benefits-hiking
10 minutes.
Hikes and walks give us a chance to connect to our roots
https://wildlandtrekking.com/blog/10Facebook
reasons-to-start-hiking/
posts include finding
https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/
the right
environment/pollution-and-air-quality/
motivation
cleaner-buses
to start these hikes and adding
https://www.alltherooms.com/blog/whyvacation-rentals-are-eco-friendly/
motivating quotes,
many of us live in cities, surrounded by polluted air
Further Information
scenic images, and ways to contact me, to discuss and
https://www.worldnomads.com/ responsible-travel/make-a-difference/
and separated from nature. Hikes and
share our adventures. The decision to
participation/6-tips-for-shopping-
walks give us a chance to connect to our
use Facebook was based on the fact that
sustainably-around-the-world
roots.
it is easy to use and its ‘Pages’ feature is
https://in.musafir.com/Blog/tricks-to-
very reliable when you want to showcase
book-cheap-flight-tickets.aspx
I first decided to use Blogger because
your blog. https://www.moneycrashers.com/tips-
ever since I was a little girl I have always liked the idea of writing about something
Instagram is another popular
I love. In this case, it’s about the wonders
social media platform
of Malta. I talked a bit about myself and
that can serve as a very
mentioned some hiking trails. Some of
valuable marketing tool
these include the Rabat to Miġra l-Ferħa
for your business.
Route, the Marfa Ridge Walk and also the
Instagram was used
Dingli to Blue Grotto Hike. The latter is
to post high-quality
save-money-cruise-vacation/
Futouristic || 57
Divers in Comino (next to Comino Caves) with a school of saddled bream (kaħli in Maltese)
Another first for ITS: a diving safety management degree ITS
WORDS BY DR SIMON C ARUANA visiting
lecturer
and
certified
diving
instructor
In October of 2020, the Institute of Tourism in collaboration with DAN (Divers Alert Network) Foundation embarked on a new ambitious academic programme: a Bachelor of Science (EQF Level 6) in Diving Safety Management (BScDSM). This is a world-wide first and another feather in the cap for ITS.
58 || Futouristic
“(from left to right) Manuel Bustelo (DAN ambassador), Simon Caruana, Massimo Casabianca (DAN), Alana Alvarez (DAN ambassador), at the front Vania Sessa (DAN and lecturer in insurance)
T
he brainchild behind this initiative is
“
Professor Alessandro Marroni, the founder of DAN Europe
and co-founder of
DAN international. He is a pioneer in
hyperbaric medicine who is still very much active in the field. Indeed, he is one of the experts behind the latest Covid-19 protocols that have been adopted by the
Professional Association
of Diving Instructors (PADI) to be used in scuba diving establishments throughout
The initial offering of a new professional path was fulfilled.
to the professional qualifications and experience.
the duration of this pandemic. When Professor Marroni presented
In the case of experienced practitioners,
his proposals to the ITS, these were
they can have any diving qualifications
immediately taken up and a team
(from any recognised organization)
composed of both academic and dive
in their possession assessed and
safety experts was set up to draft the
The placements and the research are
subsequently accredited as part of the
programme of studies.
compulsory for all participants. In the
course by means of the Recognition of
other sections one can find a series of
Prior Learning (RPL).
The programme covers the following
compulsory modules complemented by
areas:
a set of elective modules from which
On the other hand, those with no official
1.Business management applied to
the student has to select a number. The
professional diving qualifications,
tourism and hospitality
choice of the elective units may be such
need to show proof that they possess
2. Scuba diving training (of both
that the student can either focus on
at least EN/ISO level 2 standard of an
recreational and technical nature)
modules that are more inclined towards
‘Autonomous Diver’. (PADI Rescue Diver
3. Advanced first aid and introduction to
dive resort management. Alternatively,
or equivalent). Moreover, they must also
hyperbaric medicine
one may choose elective units that
have proof of at least 50 dives. Both
4. Hazard and risk assessment, legal and
are more oriented towards technical
are important as the students will then
insurance related aspects
diving and hyperbaric medicine that
be doing the EN/ISO level 3 standard
5. Equipment used in diving and diving
may prepare the student for a career
of a ‘dive leader’ and more. If not in
centers; functions, maintenance etc.
oriented in that sense.
possession, students will be advised to
6. Future trends (e.g. wearable technologies, wireless transmission
Participants
acquire them during the first academic year independently.
of data applied to underwater environments)
The course is aimed at those who
7. Industry placements (local and
wish to start off a career related to
international)
the diving sector or to experienced
8. Research methodologies and a
practitioners who need to upgrade
research project.
their academic knowledge in addition
The current situation is such that the course is being delivered in a blendedlearning format. Students are able to attend all the academic portion of the Futouristic || 59
course online. Naturally, this course has
including various diving equipment parts
Julian’s. She enrolled as a student to
numerous hands-on or practical-based
and all the internal parts of a diving
learn new things, to improve the overall
exercises. These will be carried out at
compressor disassembled for teaching
level of service of her diving school,
the ITS premises on the island of Gozo
purposes.
and increase her personal credentials
specifically dedicated for this course. This has a series of lecture rooms, a medical research laboratory where all the aspects related to first aid and hyperbaric medicine can be carried out and a ‘teaching diving centre’ – a small but fully equipped diving centre that will provide all the necessary equipment for
“
both diving courses, equipment repair and stress testing and gas blending,
Success Feedback from the students so far has been outstanding, keeping in mind that this programme is being delivered for the first time and some teething issues are expected. Audrey Farrugia runs a 5-star PADI dive centre and scuba diving school in St.
within the industry. “I would definitely recommend this bachelor’s degree to anybody who has at heart the scuba diving industry,” she told Futouristic. “Although from my previous experience I have dealt with several aspects of some of the modules, like HR, training and development, and IT, it clearly was truly a positive experience having an
I would definitely recommend this bachelor’s degree to anybody who has at heart the scuba diving industry
”
60 || Futouristic Simon Caruana near the remains of the Azure Window in Gozo
advantage to expand and build up my
Looked into ITS, hoping to find a course
with most of the regulatory aspects.
knowledge in these areas. As for the
in hospitality/ tourism/ catering and was
But that’s another issue and probably
new modules, these were of certain high
surprised to find the BScDSM. Signed up
another potential business plan”.
level of knowledge that are beneficial to
without knowing what the syllabus was.
further my professional safety aspects
So far it has opened quite a few options
ITS is proud to have a team of highly
and diving”.
in a future “career” plan, so I guess the
dedicated academics from the ITS
initial offer of a new professional path
faculty together with a a good number
Faycal Marouf is a PADI/SSI (Scuba
was fulfilled. Would I recommend it?
of specialised practitioners from DAN
Schools International) open water scuba
Definitely and I have been following the
and other international organisations
instructor. He joined the programme
course almost since day one.
who are leaders in their field of expertise
quite by chance. “I initially joined the
worldwide. This will expose the student
course because of a Facebook advert
I think a lot of the information provided
to the latest research when it comes to
offering free courses to those who were
to dive professionals is the way the
dive safety management and give them
feeling the brunt of the Covid Pandemic.
industry is going, even if I don’t agree
that competitive edge in the job market.
Futouristic || 61
Official Data on Tourism RESEARCH BY LUCA DI GENNARO SPLENDORE statistical
consultant electoral
,
data
anal y st
and
e x p ert
The aim of this paper is: (i) to analyze the role of statistics in tourism business and during the COVID-19 health crisis, (ii) to summarize the main sources of official data on tourism, (iii) to trigger the discussion about statistics on tourism
S
tatistics can solve real problems and data driven decisions can help us to take the right
“
In some way, statistics is the rationalisation of our thinking
decision. Nowadays, the main challenge is the dissemination and communication of statistics.
Statistics is found everywhere (newspapers, work, TV, etc), but almost no one has knowledge of it. Having a basic knowledge of statistical visualization and elementary quantitate skill are very important today. Statistics is not mathematics. In some way, statistics is the rationalisation of our thinking. Big Data has become fashionable nomenclature for enormous amounts of data (thanks to the internet and new computer technology) and is mostly underused. For instance, the internet is an incredible source of data on tourism. All tourism business goes around the web in one way or another. Open Data refers to data that is published openly and freely from all entities, companies and institutions that have a public interest. The aim of open data is transparency and accessibility of data.
62 || Futouristic
“
Both open and big data, will stimulate
information. In the webpage, there is
research, business and public opinion.
numerous data (https://www.unwto.org >
They provide an invaluable opportunity
RESOURCES > Tourism data dashboard).
for the divulgation and communication
This data is crucial for understanding
of statistics. With graphs, charts and
tourism trends and comparing different
tables, statistics helps every presentation
situations. This data provides a
and field in the visualization of ideas,
framework for the production of surveys
figures, and aggregations of data.
and microeconomic data on Tourism.
These visualisations or percentages are often used as a tool to persuade public administrations and public opinion. But
What are the Official statistics?
there is a lack of images and visualization
Official statistics provide essential information to measure progress in society, the economy and the environment
”
to promote, divulgate and communicate
The media dedicates more space to
statistics. For all these reasons, it is
figures of official statistics, than the best
crucial that the tourism industry invests
football player or singer. Every day, in the
in statistical literacy, data-driven culture
news, we listen to the employment rate,
and in the production of trustable data.
the GDP, mortality rate, car accidents and so on. All these statistics are collected,
Official Data on Tourism
produced and then disseminated by the National Statistics Offices (NSOs) around
Nowadays we have many sources of
the world. The irony of it all is that, at
official data in Malta and outside Malta.
the same time, it is quite unlikely that
The National Statistics Office of Malta
the media dedicates time and space to
produces a lot of data on tourism. It
explain the responsibility of such NSOs
is free and accessible on the internet
around the world.
at https://nso.gov.mt . Here, there is a lot of interesting data: Outbound
Official statistics provide essential
Tourism, Inbound Tourism, Regional
information to measure progress
Tourism, Collective Accommodation
in society, the economy and the
Establishments and Cruise passengers.
environment. It is important that they
All the data is combined together with a
are communicated clearly and succinctly
full explanation of the data sources and
so that a broad range of audiences
methodology used. Another source of
can understand and use the valuable
information on the Tourism in Malta is
information contained within.
the Malta Tourism Authority (www.mta. com.mt). Further information can be
National statistical offices focused
found in Attard (2019).
the majority of their resources on collecting and producing statistics and
To compare tourism among European
less on analysing, disseminating and
countries, Eurostat has data for all over
communicating the results.
Europe (go to - https://ec.europa.eu/ eurostat > Eurostat > Data > Database
To be relevant in the actual information
> Data navigation tree > Database by
age, statistical organizations are placing
themes> Industry, trade and services >
greater emphasis on publishing data and
Tourism).
metadata in a variety of forms to reach a growing audience of data users.
The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is a specialized agency of the
Statistical indicators provide an overview
United Nations focusing on tourism.
of the social, demographic and economic
It can provide a lot of interesting
structure of society. Moreover, these Futouristic || 63
indicators facilitate comparisons between
accuracy, and correctness of data in its
tourism industry. Only the work of National
countries and regions. The description of
application and the need to satisfy the
statistics offices will be able to disseminate
the indicators helps users find out more
requirements of its intended use. COVID-19
correct data on tourism.
information about what they are measuring,
had a great impact on the tourism industry,
the context in which they are used and
so it is useful to fully understand all the
possible differences between them and the
implications.
References Attard, S. (2019). The Evolution of Malta’s
European and international standards. Regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, the aim
Tourism Sector, Xjenza, Volume 7, Issue 1,
Social and economic statistics are the core
of medical figures is not to describe the
pp. 37-48.
of the modern NSOs, this is because the
spread of COVID-19 or the overall socio-
aim of the national accounts is to provide a
economic implications of the outbreak.
Di Gennaro Splendore, L. (2020a).
comprehensive conceptual and accounting
Unfortunately, figures produced by health
‘Random testing, quality of data and lack
framework for compiling and reporting
authorities cannot give crucial information
of information: COVID-19’, Data & Policy
macroeconomic statistics for analysing
(see Luca Di Gennaro Splendore, (2020)).
blog: https://medium.com/data-policy/ random-testing-quality-of-data-and-lack-of-
and evaluating the performance of an economy. Policymakers depend on data
If you don’t do any blood tests then you
produced by the NSOs. Macroeconomic data
don’t have high cholesterol!
information-covid-19-a6e09a398d1d Di Gennaro Splendore, L. (2020). ‘COVID-19:
have become indispensable to economic The cases of COVID-19 depend on how
Unprecedented Situation, Unprecedented
many persons each country are tested and
Official Statistics’. (Letter to the Editors)
From the social statistics point of view, the
how they were tested (see Luca Di Gennaro
Journal of Official Statistics, Vol.36, No.2,
census is the pinnacle of social statistics.
Splendore, (2020, 2020a)).
2020, (June 2020) https://content.sciendo.
policymaking and academic research.
com/view/journals/jos/36/2/article-p229.
The word “Census” has a long history all over the world. For instance, in China and
So, how can we acquire information on
other countries, they started a systematic
COVID-19?
xml?tab_body=pdf-74962 Eurostat. (2014). Methodological manual for
count of the population from 1600 -1700
tourism statistics.
B.C. according to Zhu (1987). The churches,
There are only two possibilities to
historically, kept records of the births,
obtain this information: either a census
marriages and deaths. Between 2005 and
of the population or a random sample
Eurostat. (2020a). Eurostat regional
2014 more than 6 billion people, more
representative of the population. In most
yearbook. https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/
than 90% of the world’s population, were
countries, a census is not practical, so a
statistics-explained/index.php/Eurostat_
enumerated by population census. Only 21
random sample representation of the
regional_yearbook
countries did not conduct a census (United
population is taken. Different sample
Nations Fund for Population Activities
designs and different possibilities can be
Eurostat. (2020b). Website. https://
(2016)). Every country has one NSO in
implemented. Every person in the sample
ec.europa.eu/eurostat
charge of the decennial census, that is, the
who is tested for COVID-19 also needs
social statistics and the main economic
to answer a questionnaire that includes
Malta Tourism Authority. (2020). Website
statistics. Every 10 years, the census is
questions about the clinical evaluation,
www.mta.com.mt
implemented all over the world. Normally,
socio-demographic characteristics, personal
the census is carried out when the year ends
characteristics, housing characteristics, and
National Statistics Office Malta. (2020).
with the number “1” (e.g. 2001, 2011, 2021)
lifestyle of the individual.
Website https://nso.gov.mt
Conclusion
United Nations Fund for Population
and it is carried out during the first week of November.
Activities (2016). Annual Report.
COVID-19 and Data
Without data, tourism cannot possibly be understood. Without data we cannot
World Tourism Organization. (2020).
For instance, to better understand
manage the industry which is so important
Website. https://www.unwto.org
COVID-19, it is useful to understand the
for so many countries.
elementary notion of statistics and the
Zhu, Mu (1987). The Earliest Statistical
concept of data quality. Generally speaking,
The prolonged lifespan of the COVID-19
Tables in China, Journal of Official Statistics
data quality is based on the usefulness, 64 || Futouristic
pandemic provides a big challenge to the
Vol. 3. No. 1. 1987, pp. 37-43.
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@MaltaITS
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