Gozo tourism lobby says law halting construction work during summer months should be revisited

The Gozo Tourism Association wants government to revisit legislation halting demolition and construction work during summer months.

“The Gozo Tourism Association (GTM) understands that construction activity has to carry on all year round. On the other hand, Gozo as a holiday destination cannot afford to have its reputation tarnished by such situations,” the lobby said.

Demolition and excavation work within touristic areas have been prohibited for the period between 15 June and 30 September, but the GTM said construction is still impacting tourists’ experience when visiting Gozo.

“Tourists come to Gozo to experience a quiet and idyllic holiday and not marred by incessant noises of heavy machinery from early morning till late in the afternoon. Visitors to Gozo cannot be offered the consequences of the machinery noise, the unpleasant dust, and the construction waste, presenting a shabby look to the surrounding environment,” it said.

The association said these past weeks and days different Gozitan tourism operators had to endure “all the imaginable inconveniences brought about by construction activity being carried out next to their respective accommodation establishments.”

“It is high time that the summer break time Subsidiary Legislation is revisited and revised especially where Gozo is concerned. The present reality is that the whole of Gozo has become a touristic area, and not only the handful of streets in certain localities that are highlighted in the summer breaktime directive,” the association said.

It called on authorities to amend the summer breaktime directive to ensure that no excavation and demolition works are carried out within 50 metres radius of an MTA licensed premises.

“Gozo’s tourism cannot afford to lose what was the backbone of the island’s distinctiveness, and thus its touristic offer,” the statement read.