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Gerald Fenech
During a Public Accounts Committee meeting held last week, Tourism and Culture Ministry Permanent Secretary Peter Portelli confirmed that tour operators were given almost a million liri (Lm959,000) by the Malta Tourism Authority last year to assist them in their operations due to a considerably weakened market.
The question was raised following an observation that the MTA had projected a surplus for 2006 but had ended up with a deficit of around Lm1.2 million liri.
Under questioning by Labour MP Evarist Bartolo, Portelli said that there was no progress report asked for by the MTA from the tour operators last year but added that assistance of Lm200,000 was given to a company with the specific task of bringing over 20,000 tourists.
Portelli also confirmed that the low cost airline sector was handed Lm 158,000 in grants to boost business to Malta. He said that all current and future contracts made by the MTA are now performance driven citing the much-publicized agreement with publicity company Media Consulta.
The Permanent Secretary also revealed that the total amount to be spent on the campaign by Media Consulta would be €€7 million per year for a three year period. Under questioning by Bartolo, it was also confirmed that the MTA would be spending €€11 million from the total campaign whilst the balance of €€10 million would come from EU funds.
Bartolo also raised doubts on the viability of certain low cost routes to Malta however Minister Francis Zammit Dimech countered stating that this was pure speculation as to his knowledge, airlines wished to expand operations and not downsize them. |
