Developing sustainable tourism on the Mediterranean Island of Malta
Pekkala, Elisa (2015)
Pekkala, Elisa
HAAGA-HELIA ammattikorkeakoulu
2015
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-201503313766
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-201503313766
Tiivistelmä
This Bachelor’s thesis examined sustainable tourism development in the Mediterranean island state of Malta. The purpose of the study was to investigate how sustainable tourism could be applied in Malta. In practice, the following questions were studied: impacts generated by tourism, actions that have been already taken to minimize negative impacts of tourism, as well as ideas for improving sustainable tourism in Malta.
The study included a theory section and an empirical section. The theoretical framework introduced first Malta as a tourist destination. Additionally, the history of tourism development and assumed tourism impacts in Malta were examined. Moreover, sustainable tourism, carrying capacity, and island tourism were illuminated from theory to practice by an initial examination of the conceptual framework followed by a discussion of sustainable tourism strategies applied in Malta.
The methodological approach of the study was qualitative research and data were mainly collected by means of structured interviews. Each representative was interviewed individually via e-mail or Facebook as information channel. The interviews were conducted between November and December 2014 and each respondent had three weeks’ to share their insights and experiences. The number of the received interviews was 14.
The research problem of the study was to explore tourism-related problems in Malta and to discover solutions to solve these. Both, the theory and the interviews indicated that Malta has several concerns to consider when discussing the country’s tourism development. Key findings of the study and the interviews revealed that Malta has for too long focused on tourism numbers to the detriment of the socio-cultural and environmental well-being. Instead of creating tourism products satisfying solely tourists and businesses, Malta should put the emphasis on benefitting locals and the environment. The author together with the interviewees determined that keys to successful sustainable tourism in Malta could be actualized by practices related to visitor management, marketing, land use, transport, education, and community participation.
The study included a theory section and an empirical section. The theoretical framework introduced first Malta as a tourist destination. Additionally, the history of tourism development and assumed tourism impacts in Malta were examined. Moreover, sustainable tourism, carrying capacity, and island tourism were illuminated from theory to practice by an initial examination of the conceptual framework followed by a discussion of sustainable tourism strategies applied in Malta.
The methodological approach of the study was qualitative research and data were mainly collected by means of structured interviews. Each representative was interviewed individually via e-mail or Facebook as information channel. The interviews were conducted between November and December 2014 and each respondent had three weeks’ to share their insights and experiences. The number of the received interviews was 14.
The research problem of the study was to explore tourism-related problems in Malta and to discover solutions to solve these. Both, the theory and the interviews indicated that Malta has several concerns to consider when discussing the country’s tourism development. Key findings of the study and the interviews revealed that Malta has for too long focused on tourism numbers to the detriment of the socio-cultural and environmental well-being. Instead of creating tourism products satisfying solely tourists and businesses, Malta should put the emphasis on benefitting locals and the environment. The author together with the interviewees determined that keys to successful sustainable tourism in Malta could be actualized by practices related to visitor management, marketing, land use, transport, education, and community participation.