Contested space : planners, tourists, developers and environmentalists in Malta

Abstract

Tourism has been a major factor in Malta's economic development since it gained independence in 1964. Not surprisingly, the rapid development has created conflicts. Environmental non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have increasingly resisted the commodification of their limited space. In 1992, responding to public dissatisfaction with the lack of adequate planning, the Maltese government finally implemented a structure plan and an authority to control building development. By means of an extended case study of conflict between government, NGOs and developers, we explore the progress of a tourism-related development project. After examining both discourse and action, we conclude that, in Malta, the outcomes of confrontations over actual development projects are not so much determined by rules and arguments as by tactics. We make no apology for our detailed case material; descriptions of comparable confrontations are scarce (but see Milton 1993, particularly Pearce 1993). Such encounters will increase as host communities become aware of the environmental consequences of tourist developments. [excerpt]