1. Social tourism in
Malta
A Calypso Study

2. Summary
• Malta, a good destination for tourism
• Social tourism for Maltese people
• Social tourism for European people
• Development of products for social tourism

3. Malta
a good destination for tourism

4. Where is Malta?

5. Some Facts
• 3 main islands: Malta,
Gozo and Comino
• Land area: 316 km²
(smaller than Andorra!)
• 2 languages: Maltese
and English (Italian and
Arabic also)
• Population: 409.836
people (2012)
• Medium Age: 40 years
old
• Per capita GDP (Growth
Domestic Product): USD
25.700 (USD 35.000 in
France)
• Minimum wage: € 665 (€
1.365 in France)
• Unemployment: 6,5%
• At risk-of-poverty-line:
€5.477

6. Analysis of the tourism in Malta
• A central industry
inside
- 27% of the national GDP
- 1.3 Million tourists
arrivals (mainly British,
German and Italian)
- expense average : € 791
- high season: summer
• Maltese tourists
- 270.000 in 2009 (236.000
in EU)
- 65% of Maltese people
can’t pay 1 week annual
holiday
• Services
- Arrivals by plane or ferry
- English language
- Many accommodations
from lower to higher prices
- Some units specialized for
seniors citizens
- Simple access to health
services
• Lack of Infrastructures
- For Disable people
- For seniors

7. An attractive destination
• For Culture:
- a large historical
heritage (more than
7.000 years of history)
- a mix of different
civilizations, religions
and buildings
• For landscape:
- some beautiful
beaches and creeks
- snorkeling and diving in
the Mediterranean sea
- a nice climate
- trekking in Gozo

9. Social tourism
for Maltese people

10. What are the general structures and players
for socialtourism?
• Malta Tourism Authority: national contact point for
Calypso
• TSDU (Tourism and Sustainable Development Unit):
depends on the Office of the Prime Minister and deals
with policy
• Malta Hotels and Restaurant Association (off-season)
• Ministry of Social Policy: it provides support to the target
of social tourism (except for the youth)
• General Worker’s Union (GWU): this trade union aims to
protect the worker’s rights
• Untours Travel Ltd and Travel Malta group: support the
action of GWU by offering good opportunities for holiday
for different trade unions (online portal)

11. Senior Citizens
• Who are they?
- 13.5% over 65 years old
- 20%: at the risk-of-
poverty-level
- Duration of stay for
Holiday (in EU): 10-15
days for 24% of seniors
- No specific barriers for
non-participation
- Support systems:
Ministry for Social Policy
and The National Council
for Elderly
• What do they want?
- No specific constraints
nor needs (destination,
accommodation,
activities, equipment)
- The sensitivity to price
is high
- Preferred period in
Summer

12. Young people
• Who are they?
- Age: 13-30 years old
- No statistic available
- about 17% of the
departing tourists: in
different EU destinations
- Barrier for financial
participation
- Support systems:
Ministry of Education,
Youth and Sports
• What do they want?
- No specific constraints
- No specific need for
destination,
accommodation,
activities, equipment
(but lowest prices)
- Sensitivity to price is
low
- No specific seasonality
aspects, except for
summer

13. Families facing difficult circumstances
• Who are they?
- No clear statistics:
45.188 families with
child allowance, 708
families with disabled
child allowance, 2.687
families with family
benefit
- Main barriers are the
school holidays
- Support systems:
Ministry of Social Policy
• What do they want?
- Financial Constraints
- Destinations,
accommodations and
activities centered on
children and disabilities,
with specific equipment
- The sensitivity to price
is very high

14. Adults with disabilities
• Who are they?
- 10.226 persons in 2010
with pensions
- Duration for stay: 7-15
days (mainly in EU)
- No statistic for average
spending and participation
- Barriers are accessibilities
and financial resources
- Support systems: Ministry
for Social Security and The
National Commission
Persons with Disability
• What do they want?
- Constraints: a very low
income, traveling in group,
personal assistance
- Adapted accommodation
- Specific and varied
equipment (it depends on
the nature of impairment)
- The sensitivity to price is
high
- Preferred periods:
summer, Christmas and
New year, Easter; off-
season

15. Social tourism
for European people

16. Tourism for the 4 target groups
• Young people:
- English language courses
- Low price
accommodations: hostels,
guesthouses…
• Families facing difficult
circumstances
- Accommodations with
very attractive prices
- Some adapted
accommodations
• Seniors people
- Accommodations and
restaurant opened in
winter season
- Climate
- Specific centers
(Scandinavian)
• Disable people
- Some adapted
accommodations and
transports

17. Development of products for
social tourism

18. Sustainable tourism
• By developing the tourism in Malta,
sustainable tourism is in line with Calypso
goals: enhance the low-season and reduce
the number of tourists for decreasing the
pressure of the high-seasons
• Create an eco-certification scheme for the
Maltese hotels
• Create constructions to respect the cultural
and nature heritage

19. Infrastructures and prejudices
• Malta has strong traditions in
the field of tourism and could
develop the accommodations
structures and facilitate the
transports for disable and
elderly persons
• Government has to fight again
prejudice due to the facilities to
Disable people in
accommodations: some of them
think it gives a “hospital-like
atmosphere”

20. Development of web portals
• A Website (http://portal.sestante.net/) is available to
give to people of the participating unions the possibility
to have a 8-10% discount of the price in comparison with
other websites. It includes hotels search, with the field
for promotion code. It could be extended in a European
project, and attached in more global European portal.
• Another Website could propose many offers directed at
the 4 targets: www.visitmalta.com; it could include
another section for social tourism.

21. Thank you for your attention…