26 April - 2 May 2001

Seminar on tourism and EU social policies

The Maltese tourism sector and the European Union’s social policy were yesterday scrutinised during a seminar organised yesterday by the Hotel and Catering International Management Association (HCIMA).
Social Policy Minister Lawrence Gonzi said that in an increasingly globalised econ-omy, there is a growing public awareness that growth and success can no longer be guaranteed.
The key to further growth lies in maintaining competitiveness.
“Over the years, tourism has contributed immensely in terms of gross national product (24.3 per cent), its contribution to government income (Lm109m in 1998), foreign exchange earnings (Lm347m in 1999), increased employment (41,000 jobs) and the development of the country’s infrastructure,” he said.
He said even in the EU, tourism had an economic stronghold. “It is estimated that tourism directly employs nine million people in the union, representing six per cent of total employment and accounting for at least five-and-a-half per cent of gross domestic product and 30 per cent of total trade in
services,” he said.
He said some sources estim-ated that travel and tourism jobs will increase by two million by the end of the next decade and will represent over nine per cent of total employment in the EU.
Tourism Minister Michael Refalo said the EU policies with a social dimension are not founded on any specific area of gainful activity and reflect an all encompassing principle of solidarity.