Position at MHRA: Gozo representative Establishment represented: Churchill Restaurant, Xlendi Gozo. Years in council: This is my first year. Reason you are in hospitality: I grew up in a family catering establishment and realised from an early age that this line of business was more than a mere job and now it has become almost a vocation. Catering gives me the opportunity to be of service to people, in turn enhancing my sense of purpose. Meeting people of different nationalities and perspectives gives me a continuous sense of satisfaction and fulfillment in what would otherwise be a simple and mundane job. List previous places you worked in, owned or managed: I started my career at the age of seventeen when my father Nicholas Grech trusted me with the running of what at that time was just a bar at the water’s edge in Xlendi. From a stand-alone bar I started to include, at first modest but later
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more ambitious, menu selections until finally I converted it into a restaurant. In time I invested further both in the amenities and furniture and concurrently improved and facilitated access. The last thirty years have involved a great deal of work and effort but the whole experience has given me immense satisfaction and the incredible contentment that comes from hard work and commitment. Dirty hands because of hands-on policy or better suited for delegating? From my experience in this business, I would say you certainly can’t rule out one or the other. There are situations that may need the focus and attention of the person in charge and at times of the owner, and other situations where the volume and amount of work involved demands effective delegation. From my experience, I feel that interchanging between both, depending on the situation, creates the best recipe for success. What are your aims for MHRA? MHRA operates within a strong and national framework and has become the voice for the whole industry. My aim is to support its aims and
at the same time to capitalise on its resources and abilities for the promotion and advancement of the tourist industry in Gozo. Favourite pastime: Reading and gardening Favourite food: Oriental What are Malta’s shortcomings in tourism? Probably the main concern in the tourism sector for Malta in general is lack of long-term planning, supported by comprehensive and coordinating planning. Gozo’s main tourism thrust is internal tourism (Maltese) which is very seasonal and limits us at times in terms of volume. Additionally my concern is that Gozo is unjustly being perceived as very expensive compared to certain European destinations. And what about the positives? We are a tiny island but within these few square kilometres one can find a wealth of culture, history, entertainment, good food and accommodation blessed with mild weather, surrounded by beautiful and clean seas and adorned with small and picturesque bays.
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