Tourism in Malta : policies and performance (1958-2015)

Abstract

Tourism is recognised as an important pillar for Malta’s economy. This paper outlines Malta’s tourism development over fifty-seven years of history, mapping the tourism-related public policies that were implemented and this economic activity’s performance, over time. Such empirical evidence underscores the theoretical frameworks presenting policy as an influential factor of tourism performance - this is the first contribution of the paper. Seven policy phases differentiated on the basis of the historical circumstances, tourism results and particularly on the nature of the adopted policies, are consequently identified. Here lies the second contribution of this paper, complemented by a third, which is the categorisation of the policies.