The Malta Tourism Society would like to express its satisfaction that Malta has been chosen by the European Commission to host the offices of the European Asylum Support Office.
The theme for the bid was: Building Bridges on Asylum. We feel that an important aspect of tourism is the sense of hospitality and corporate social responsibility and, in this respect, the society considers this decision by the Commission and EU Parliament as a confirmation of the capabilities and logisitical advantages these islands have for the Euro-Med relations and developments.
The Society urges the Government to work towards the successful undertaking of the role of this new office, both as regards the difficulties that exist in those states from which the migration emanates but also to assess the potential of these migrants to ensure they and their families enjoy a better quality of life for the future. The Society believes that the problems of such “forced” migration need to be solved at the source, these people are not choosing to travel as tourists and travelers but they are desperate to seek a better life outside their normal home environment.
The first principles which tourism officers and hospitality professionals should consider as their most important, include the aspect of offering asylum and at these times of celebration of the Birth of Jesus Christ, we feel that it is most fitting to remember those people who, like the Holy Family of Nazareth, had to flee their home in search of a safer and better quality of life elsewhere.
But there is another important reason why the establishment of the European Asylum Support Office should help create an important tourism market for these islands. The number of staff assigned to the office through the European Commission together with the many delegates attending high profile conferences and seminars should put the islands on the map for the organization of such events and, like the satisfaction shown for other events such as CHOGM or the Bush-Gorbachev Summit, it will be an incentive both for the local industry and the international organizations and agencies to consider these services as a first choice for high profile events. These activities should also serve as an incentive for delegates and participants to choose the islands for their holidays or as a place to visit and experience the culture, history and character of this unique island destination.
The Society calls on the industry and all stakeholders to use this opportunity to develop a sound and highly feasible tourism market and to consider the advantages of this alternative niche on a year round basis.
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