The relationship between tourism and culture in Gozo : implications for policy integration

Abstract

The goal of this thesis is to assess the level of policy integration in the Gozitan cultural tourism niche. This niche leaves its mark on the cultural calendar via various activities, but for the purpose of this thesis the focus rests on three activities; GozoAlive, Opera and Bethlehem f’Għajnsielem, which constitute case studies. The research design consists of an in-depth investigation of the three case studies with a view to identifying evidence of policy integration or its contrary, policy fragmentation. Apart from using various documentary and some statistical sources, the study incorporates sensitive information from the interviews that were conducted with elite personnel in the field. The evidence was appraised with a view to assessing the degree of policy integration in this policy sector which is vital for the island’s economy. The study also identified factors that hinder or facilitate policy integration, such as the high dependency on the voluntary sector and state/private financing or more positive aspects such as the setting up of committee for communication for implementing the event. One must keep in mind that this sector has its roots in the Catholic Church; therefore, the sector was established through a natural way rather than through a strategy, focusing on policy integration. Data collection was somewhat constrained by the restrictions on movement and meeting imposed to counter the spread of Covid-19. More importantly, the case studies cover only a segment of a more complex market and may not be entirely representative of the cultural tourism niche of the Maltese islands’ economy. By improving both institutional design and organisation coordination, policy-makers will achieve greater policy integration and make progress towards the achievement of a long-standing target, which is to limit one-day trippers, (88.2%) through providing events of high calibre that spread over a number of days such as GozoAlive and Opera month. All of this can be achieved through policy integration.