The Malta Independent on Sunday, 28th September 2008 - 

It is a good idea that World Tourism Day is being linked with the climate change issue. We must stop thinking of climate change as a purely environmental issue but also as something that has a considerable economic cost if we decide to turn a blind eye to it.

It is a good idea that World Tourism Day is being linked with the climate change issue. We must stop thinking of climate change as a purely environmental issue but also as something that has a considerable economic cost if we decide to turn a blind eye to it.

Whether climate change spells crisis or opportunity for the tourism industry depends on how we choose to react to it.

The 2006 Stern Report had concluded that “the scientific evidence is now overwhelming: climate change presents very serious global risks, and it demands an urgent global response”.

If the business community must also consider these risks and determine its response, in my opinion and in that of many others, the tourism industry is likely to be impacted more than most.

As the world gets hotter there will be winners as well as losers in global tourism.

Given our geographical location and target consumer market, one does not have to be a rocket scientist to realise that we risk being the losers.

Just because the full extent of climate change is still uncertain in no way reduces the impact, and/or the manner in which it will be affected by how quickly the world acts to reduce its carbon footprint.

I keep on emphasising the economic cost of climate change because even though many might argue about whether we are taking or will be taking adequate or inadequate future action to minimise emissions, it is a given that many changes appear to be already “locked in”.

There seems to be a general consensus in the trade that climate change is equivalent to business storm clouds over the Med.

UK domestic tourism might turn out to be the main beneficiary of climate change, but this gain is likely to come at the expense of overseas destinations traditionally popular with British tourists and travellers – ranging from Spain to Malta.

You can be a sun worshipper but there is a limit to the heat one can afford to take or withstand.

Mediterranean coastal tourism will definitely be under threat.

Even though the authorities might be working hard to diversify the niches we hope to tap for inward tourism to the Maltese Islands, we cannot underestimate or downplay our still strong reliance on sun and sea lovers who come to Malta expressly for this purpose.

What worries me indeed is that while a number of studies have been carried out by various international institutions on how climate change can impact on the Mediterranean – Malta obviously included – I still have to come across a reliable, government commissioned independent report that gives us a blow by blow account of how we expect climate change to impact on our tourist trade.

On the contrary, when international reports on Malta made the headlines overseas, their source of origin being eminent German banks like Deutsche Bank or the BBC’s chief environmental correspondent, MTA spokespersons were quick to react by finding fault with these reports on the basis of small technicalities, while conveniently ignoring the main thrust of their alarm bell signals.

Even the otherwise engaging new Parliamentary Secretary for Tourism seems to have fallen into this trap when he tried to console Maltese audiences that these reports are somewhat jaundiced in their views, since Malta no longer depends all that much on ‘sun and sea’ tourists, thanks to a diversification process that entails a shift towards cultural tourism, which admittedly is less affected by climate change conditions.

On the positive side, as a result of climate change, holidaymakers may prefer to start visiting the Med. in the pleasanter conditions of spring and autumn, when our hoteliers often find it harder to come up with satisfactory and profitable occupancy figures.

We might not be at risk of experiencing hurricanes like Florida or the Caribbean, but any climatic changes that can eventually deter tourists from visiting Malta means we will have a definite economic price to pay, particularly since we tend to rely – and almost over depend – economically on tourism.

The Venice effect might be hard to envisage locally but retreating shorelines and seaside property subsidence and beach erosion are no longer that remote a possibility.

With the EU tightening on airline emissions and public opinion likely to grow more critical of air travel, expect people to start travelling shorter distances, thus ruling out those who so far have not minded a three or four hour flight to Malta from say the north of England or Ireland.

As an island in the middle of the Mediterranean there is little for us to gain if European outbound tourists opt for bus, ferry and train means of transport instead of air travel.

Both the MTA and the MHRA need to work hard on finding ways on how to act now if they are to minimise risks and maximise opportunities regarding the impact of climate change on Malta in the years ahead.

The government would do well were it to focus for a start on the mitigation measures that the second Climate Change Davos Conference on Climate Change and Tourism came up with when focusing on coastal and island destinations.

The most worrying aspect to my mind is the following conclusion:

That the strong seasonality of beach tourism has to be taken into consideration, as it can be exacerbated by climate change. In many beach destinations the high tourist season coincides with low water regimes in dry seasons, aggravated water management and environmental issues.

Among the recommended measures that struck me most was the need to integrate climate change factors into regulatory frameworks for tourism development, such as environmental impact assessment for tourism infrastructure and establishments as well as the implementation of tourism development plans within the framework of Integrated Coastal Management processes and spatial planning such as zoning.

Compounded with this we need to work hard on harnessing water conservation techniques, such as rainwater storage, the use of water saving devices or wastewater recycling. But for a definite start we need to further diversify our tourism product to less climate dependent and seasonal activities.


Mr Brincat is the main Opposition spokesperson for the environment, sustainable development and climate change.