Futouristic Issue 3

CONTENTS

04 12 16 18 20 24 26 28

32 36 38 44 46 48 56 64 A New Parliament House Climate Change is Existential: If We Don’t Fix It, It Will Fix Us MBA Thesis Abstracts The Perception on the Introduction of Hospitality as a Vocational Subject in Compulsory Education Camping Tourism as a Possible Addition to the Malta Tourism Portfolio The Perspectives of FrontLine Hospitality Employees on Emotional Labour and Authenticity The Implementation of Emotional Intelligence among Management Teams in 5-star Hotels in Malta What we Lost and What we Found – the Story of Heritage and the Pandemic

Cooperage: The Art of Wine Barrel Making Ingraining Eco-Efficiency as a Core Value in Hotel Employees Through the Management Style of their Leaders Characteristics of Quality Assurance from the viewpoint of Hospitality and Tourism Education Digitalisation: An Unparalleled Opportunity to Ensure a Future for our Past Prestigious International Universities Praise ITS and ITS Students A Sense of Place: Photography Tour in Malta Do Tourists who Visit Malta Expect Traditional Local Food Tasting to be Included in Guided Tours, or is it Just a Nice Add On? ITS Lecturer Creates Mobile App to Teach About Cocktails

The First Anniversary of A m e s s a g e f r o m t h e E d i t o r-i n-C h i e f It has been exactly one year since the launch of

ITS and the research work produced by students as part of their learning journeys within the institute.

Futouristic. The Institute’s journal on Hospitality,

Let me walk you quickly through what we are offering in this

Travel, Tourism and

issue.

Culture was well received by readers who provided encouraging feedback. A positive response on the content

The leading paper is by Prof. Godfrey Pirotta who presents an assessment of the first one hundred years of Malta governing itself since 2021 marked the first centenary from the

fills the editorial board, and whoever is involved in this

promulgation of the so-called Self-Government Constitution

venture, with enthusiasm to continue publishing useful

when the British coloniser gave the Maltese ruling class some

content which facilitates dialogue between policymakers,

autonomy in terms of strictly local and non-military matters.

private stakeholders, scholars, and higher education institutions. Since the inaugural issues, 28 articles have been

In December 2021, the Institute of Tourism Studies reached

published covering an array of topics ranging from innovation

another important milestone with nine of its students

in culinary arts, environmental tourism, e-learning in Tourism,

graduating with an MBA in International Hospitality

policymaking to strategy and multidisciplinary collaborations

Management in academic affiliation with the Emirates

set up by ITS.

Academy of Hospitality Management. From the cohort, Damien Peplow, Yanica Gauci, Charles Micallef and Lydia

There is still a great deal of topics to present and positive

Xuereb are presenting an overview of their research work

provocations to create among our readers – all this with the

herein.

aim to continue creating awareness on ITS’ indefatigable work to develop, operate, and promote excellence and innovation

Another area, besides the master’s programmes, where ITS

in tourism education.

has invested strategically over the past couple of years is sustainable tourism. Geoffrey Lipman, President of SUNx

Once again, it is my pleasure to bring to you the third issue

Malta is interviewed on climate friendly travel. Lipman refers

of Futouristic. The collection of papers and articles presented

to one of his late friends, Maurice Strong, who was a key

here strikes a balance between the work produced by

figure in the field of environmental protection and who has

academics who are either directly or indirectly involved with

developed the United Nations ‘Green and Clean’ roadmap.

2 || Futouristic

Editorial Board

With the Covid-19 pandemic still making the headlines, causing significant economic and social disruption, Futouristic is publishing the first of a series of papers and articles on the impact of the pandemic on our tourism industry. Veronica Barbara discusses how national and international heritage has been affected by the COVID 19-pandemic. Barbara writes that despite the hardships brough about by the pandemic, modern conservation techniques allowed for a continued sustainable preservation of cultural heritage. Heritage Malta is one memory organisation that has been investing heavily in digital technologies, and not just in response to the pandemic. Tony Cassar, the head of the digitisation unit of HM explains some of the work that is being done to preserve and interpret better the rich heritage under the responsibility of organisation. The pandemic has also inspired ITS lecturer Richard Pons to reach out to his students with an innovative digital mobile app based on the popular Rummy game to help them learn and recall the ingredients and recipes of cocktails. In addition, wine lovers will certainly appreciate Aaron Rizzo’s detailed explanation of the skill involved in cooperage, or

Prof Glen Farrugia (chair) Ms Fiorentina Darmenia-Jochimsen Mr Martin Debattista Ms Charlotte Geronimi Ms Fleur Griscti Ms Helena Micallef Mr David Pace Mr Aaron Rizzo Mr Claude Scicluna Mr John Zahra Mr James Mula (secretary) Executive Team Executive Editor: Martin Debattista Scientific Research Lead: David Pace Proof-reading: Stephanie Mifsud Sales and Marketing: Natasha Brown Design Philippa Zammit Cover The Grandmaster’s Palace by Martin Bonnici Contact Information Editorial: The Futouristic Editorial Board Academic Research and Publications Board Tel: +356 23793100 Email: arpb@its.edu.mt Web: http://www.its.edu.mt Sales and Marketing: Ms Natasha Brown Tel: +356 23793100 Email: natasha.brown@its.edu.mt Institute of Tourism Studies Aviation Park Aviation Avenue Luqa, LQA 9023 Malta

wine barrel making. ITS senior lecturer Kevin Ellul explains the importance of quality assurance in hospitality and tourism education. In this issue of Futouristic we share some outstanding research work from our students. Martin Bonnici exploits his photography skills to propose photographic tours. Daniela Aquilina studies the potential of food as an integral aspect of tours, and Ema-Sinead Zammit shares the results of her research on eco-efficiency in hotels. ITS has plans to upgrade this journal with a stronger online presence and become a reference point for tourism-related academic research. More details on this will be announced in the up-coming issue. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this one.

Futouristic is the official journal of the Institute of Tourism Studies (Malta). The aim of this publication is to promote academic research and innovation at ITS not just with the partners and stakeholders in the tourism industry but also society at large. Therefore, ITS fulfills its mission to be at the forefront of this vital industry with its contribution that goes beyond the training of the workforce. Futouristic is free of charge and is distributed to all stakeholders in the Maltese travel, tourism, hospitality and higher educational sectors. The views expressed in Futouristic do not reflect the views of the Board of Governors or of the Management or the Editorial Board of the Institute of the Tourism Studies but only that of the individual authors. This publication is governed by the Creative Commons Licence 4.0 BY-NC-ND. Anyone can share this publication in any medium, reproduce and re-use the content with the following conditions: full attribution to Futouristic and the individual authors; content is reproduced as is without any re-mixing or modification; and such re-use does not lead to financial gains.

Glen Farrugia

The Institute of Tourism Studies shall have no liability for errors, omission or inadequacies in the information contained herein or for interpretations thereof.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF & ITS CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER ACADEMIA

Submissions for publication are welcome. The Editorial Policy and the House Style are available on request.

Futouristic || 3 ISBN: - 978-99957-1-962-3

A New Parliament House W O R D S B Y P R O F. G O D F R E Y P I R O T TA

The Tapestry Chamber today, with Members of the Maltese Parliament rather than tourists and visitors, holding a commemorative sitting 4 || Futouristic

I

n 1921 Britain granted Malta its first Responsible Government Constitution which also provided for a bi-cameral legislature: a Legislative Assembly and a Senate. The legislative Assembly was to consist of 32 members elected

from eight electoral districts and the Senate of seven members directly elected by voters and ten special members elected from within the clergy, the nobility, the Chamber of Commerce, university graduates and the Trades Union Council. The problem at the time was as to where these two separate Houses could be housed. Former Councils of Government used to hold their sittings in the Tapestry Chamber in the Governor’s Palace. Both Houses saw this chamber as their natural meeting place as the opulent Flemish Tapestries that adorned its walls not only preserved a link with the past but lent dignity to the new experiment about to be launched. The Gobelins tapestries, which decorate the walls of the chamber, had been acquired by Grand Master Ramon Perellos de Roccaful in 1710 and had been manufactured in Paris, France. They were part of a series known as the Les Anciennes Indes depicting life in the so-called New World based on the works of Dutch artists Frans Post and Albert Eckhout. These tapestries still hang in this chamber today and as they are the only surviving complete set in the world, they are unique. But there were complications. First the expected frequent use of this chamber by the two Houses of the Legislature posed a serious danger for their preservation. Second, the 1921 Constitution also laid down the obligation, in certain circumstances, for the holding of joint sessions between Senate and Legislative Assembly thereby making the issue of space more acute.1 The Tapestry Chamber was too small for this purpose and consequently when the two Chambers were obliged to sit at similar times two different halls had to be used. On such occasions the Senate used the Tapestry Chamber while the Legislative Assembly made use of the Armoury. In the case of some joint sittings between the two Chambers the Armoury was used. Third, the chamber was too small to accommodate the elected members, Futouristic || 5

The Prince of Wales (future king Edward VIII) with Maltese and British officials in the main courtyard of The Palace, Valletta, after the opening of the first session of the Maltese Parliament, 1st November 1921.

the press and the ‘strangers.’ The aim

He urged members to consider whether

Michael and St George and he pressed the

of this article is to explain, mainly with

each House should have its own Chamber

government to approach the authorities

reference to Parliamentary debates, the

or indeed whether Senate and Assembly

for permission to use this hall. He was

evolution of this issue and its subsequent

should meet in separate buildings

supported by Enrico Mizzi who argued,

outcomes.

reminding them, however, of the need to

however, that the House should not give

keep costs constantly in view. How true

up its control over the Tapestry Chamber.

FACING UP TO THE ISSUE

the Governor’s warning was can be seen

The need for a proper Parliamentary

from Gerald Strickland sarcastic comment,

Ten months later the issue was raised

House was evident when the two Houses

some months later, when the Legislative

again by Giovanni Adami, a back-bencher,

met in a joint sitting for the opening of

Assembly passed, in February 1922, a

who suggested that the government could

Parliament by the Governor. For this

resolution calling for establishment of

try to acquire, for use as a Parliamentary

auspicious occasion the sitting was held

a Parliamentary library. He remarked

House, one of the existing Auberge’s

in the Hall of St Michael and St George in

that the only space available for a library

currently held by the British military

the Governor’s Palace. The issue of finding

was on Mr. Speakers’ desk.3 It was also

authorities. It was a suggestion that

adequate accommodation for the two

Strickland who had complained that

would be strongly pursued though with

Houses was one of the items raise by the

lack of space to accommodate strangers

little success. Joseph Howard, as Head of

Governor in his Speech from the Throne:

was undermining the true role of

Ministry, argued that what was required

the issue of finding adequate space which

House.‘The heart and soul of responsible

was a resolution of the House stating

would allow both Chambers to carry out

government,’ he told the House, ‘is

clearly which buildings members thought

their work properly, he told members, was

publicity. The electors should know what

the government should acquire and

a pressing one.

is being done;.….[they] are entitled to

promised that his Cabinet would do its

could only meet their requirements if

know what takes place in this House.’4

best to acquire them. 5

the two Chambers managed to come to

He suggested, therefore, that in future

some mutual agreement about its use.

sittings should be held in the Hall of St

6 || Futouristic

2

The current chamber

During the sitting of January 30, 1922

Strickland proposed that the House should

Ministers he was happy to report that the

Minister to declare that the matter was

make ‘a humble address’ to the Governor

Great Hall was both longer and larger than

the concern of parliament and not that

asking him to obtain the assent of the

their present chamber.

of the government and withdrew his

Imperial authorities for the use of Castille

a transfer depended on the willingness of

membership of the Select Committee.11

as a Parliament House. He argued for a

the military to hand over the building.

The Senate’s amendment was,

‘humble address’ because he believed that

Nevertheless, by the end of February

nonetheless, accepted by the Legislative

if the matter was not approached with

1925, the matter had not been resolved.

Assembly.

care and courtesy, it would inevitably fail.

In May 1925 the Head of Ministry rose

Enrico Mizzi, however, successfully pushed

to move a Motion calling for the setting

The Report of the Joint Select Committee

through an amendment which called

up of a Joint Select Committee of both

failed to break new ground: it claimed that

for the appointment of a Commission

Houses ‘to consider and report on the

it could not proceed with its work before it

made up of MPs to draft the address. He

advisability, or otherwise, of moving

could be ascertained whether the military

wanted the Governor to support their case

the Imperial Authorities to hand over

authorities were prepared to accept other

insisting that Castille belonged to the civil

to the Civil Government the Auberge

premises other than those in the Palace

government.

de Castille for use principally as a

which, apparently they weren’t.

Parliament Building’ in exchange for

was that the existing facilities were poor

This Commission eventually held two

other buildings.9 The military authorities,

to say the least. The Speaker described

meetings and a Report outlining the

according to correspondence through the

the existing facilities as a ‘proper disgrace’

address to be made to the Governor

Governor, appeared willing to oblige as

while the PM had claimed that they lacked

was placed on the Table of the House on

long as the signal station was allowed to

even ‘the ordinary amenities of life,’

February 14, 1922. The dilemma facing

remain on top of the building. However,

describing how Ministers very often had to

MPs was that they did not wish, by their

Senate members had already indicated

carry out important duties in the corridor

address, to appear ready to surrender

that they were not willing to give up

and how on one occasion he was forced to

rights over buildings which they held to be

the Tapestry Chamber and this made

use the Governor’s butler room so that he

for the use of the civil government. At the

negotiations with the British authorities

could deal with some urgent business that

same time, they wanted to demonstrate

virtually impossible.

had come up.14

6

10

8

However, such

This led the Prime

12

13

The fact

their readiness to be flexible and although they were adamant that the Auberge de Castille belonged to the civil authorities, they were prepared to come to some sort of arrangement with the military services for its use. In the meantime, Members of the Senate were also actively searching for a place to serve as a Senate House. Thus, in October 1921, they held an informal and private meeting at the Auberge de France7 to see if it could be adapted for their use. But even here matters did not really move forward. 1924-27 MORE OF THE SAME But by the time the 1924 elections had come around little progress had been achieved. On the question of the transfer to the Auberge de Castille the Speaker informed Parliament that following a visit to the auberge accompanied by the President of the Senate and other

Indian on Horseback tapestry by Gobelin Futouristic || 7

The Legislative Assembly discussed the

so that the Assembly may transfer to the

issue again in February 1926, when the

Auberge de France.18 The Government,

Speaker gave a blow by blow account of

as Bartolo pointed out, by stating that it

the difficulties facing the House in the

was preparing to bring before the House

execution of its business. A visit to the

a vote of expenditure of this sort had also

Castille, he said, had convinced him that

indicated that it had come to a unilateral

the building was not only big enough

decision over the transfer of the House to

to provide the facilities required by

the Auberge de France. This led Strickland

Parliament but could also accommodate

to ask the Head of Ministry whether

a number of government departments.

the Cabinet or the Head of Ministry had

It was his decided opinion, that while

committed themselves to the transfer of

retaining hold of the Tapestry Chamber

Parliament without the consent of the

they should concede the military other

House? Here the Speaker revealed that

facilities within the Palace. Should the

the Committee had conducted a number

Senate hold on to its position, then the

of inspections of possible sites which

Legislative Assembly should, if necessary,

could be used as a Parliament House.

19

proceed with the matter on its own. The PM concurred with this view and a motion

The Report of the Committee, which was

for the appointment of a new Committee

finally laid on the Table of the House

was moved by Augustus Bartolo which

by Mr. Speaker on December 6, 1926

was appointed at a later sitting. 15

concluded that the only building capable of providing the required space and

The Committee reported back in the

facilities was the Auberge de France.

middle of March but it failed to break

While pointing to a number of drawbacks,

new ground.

such as the closeness of the Hall to other

16

Its Report reiterated the

generally accepted view that the Auberge

buildings, the noise from the streets,

de Castille was suited for a House of

and the fact that the debates, ‘especially

Parliament but also members’ reluctance

if they are of a heated character, would

to cede any other building to the military.

be audible from the streets and from

They proposed, instead the appointment

the buildings in the vicinity,’20 it believed

of yet another Joint Select Committee to

that the advantages outweighed the

inquire into and report upon the ‘best

disadvantages. The Senate was to

means of making provision for the Sittings

continue using the Tapestry Chamber but

of Parliament and the general conduct

the Legislative Assembly was to reserve

of its business.’ However, it was not until

the right to make use of that Chamber

March 22 that a Motion calling for the

whenever it was deemed necessary. A

setting up of a Joint Select Committee

plan showing the proposed alterations

could be moved and debated. The motion

was also laid on the Table of the House.

was moved by the PM and seconded by Bartolo who expressed the hope that

A week later the Head of Ministry

every individual member of the House,

presented a resolution in Parliament

‘who feels for the dignity of the new

to this effect.21 He stressed again the

status’ that Malta had attained, should help the Committee to achieve its aim.

expediency of not giving up the Tapestry 17

Chamber and recommended that Parliament should now act as advised

But there the matter rested for, by

in the Report of the Joint Committee.22

October 1926, the Committee had made

Strickland rejected the Motion for, in his

little headway on its work. The PM stated

view, the Castille was the only building

that as the Committee had not reached

‘where with dignity, or even common

any conclusion he would be proposing

respect for the position of the legislators

that a sum of money be voted in order

of this country, any transfer of any sort

8 || Futouristic

The Striped Horse tapestry by Gobelin

Futouristic || 9

The estimated cost of the building was

The Tapestry Chamber housed the Council of Government even during the Second World War, but the priceless tapestries had been removed to safety.

£60,000.26 But it was in April 1929 that Strickland finally moved, in the Legislative Assembly, the Motion that ‘in the opinion of this House the site opposite the Palace in St George’s Square is the most suitable for a Parliament House.’ 27 Three reasons were provided: that it was near the main offices of government; that it was in the centre of town; and that it was easily accessible to the residence of the Head of Ministry at the Auberge de Aragon. The Opposition was not impressed reminding the Government that all parties were agreed that the present Council Chamber should remain in the hands of the Maltese Parliament. Ugo Mifsud wanted the matter to be referred to a Select Committee.

should be contemplated.’ The Report itself,

was clear that there was no prospect that

Mifsud’s colleague, Carlo Mallia, while

he said, made it clear that the Auberge

the Auberge de Castille would be handed

wishing the whole matter thrown out on

de France had too many drawbacks and

over to the civil authorities. In response to

the basis of lack of funds, suggested that

was not fit for the purpose. Strickland’s

a question by the Leader of the Opposition,

one should explore the idea of building a

remarks provoked heated debate. New

Strickland noted that his Government

second floor on the Auberge de Aragon.28

sites were suggested. For example, there

was planning to ‘take steps towards the

But the project was financially beyond the

were those who suggested building a new

establishment of Houses of Parliament

means of the Government and the matter

Parliament House over or in place of the

over the Casino San Giorgio, the back of

Main Guard, situated right across from

the Main Guard and the Garrison Library.’

the Governor’s Palace. Even Carlo Mallia,

He agreed with Ugo Mifsud’s point that the

A NEW PARLIAMENT HALL

a member of the Cabinet, now argued

issue of choosing a site for a Parliament

In 1947 Britain restored self-government

that the choice of the Auberge de France

House was one which devolved exclusively

to Malta under what became known as the

was not a happy one claiming that it was

on both Houses of Parliament rather than

MacMichael Constitution. The Senate was

merely a temporary solution and that

the Executive. He therefore moved for

abolished and Parliament was now to be

he would be voting against the motion.

the appointment of yet another Select

a one single chamber. This Constitution

Prof. Galea, the technical expert on the

Committee of the House to consider the

somewhat mitigated the accommodation

Committee, explained the advantages of

question and invited Mifsud to nominate

problems being faced by Malta’s

moving to this building but admitted that

its members, which he declined to do.

parliamentarians. Indeed, it was during the

he could not give his assurance that the

Consequently, once again the matter was

debate on the 1974/5 General Estimates

drawbacks could be entirely eliminated.

dropped.

that the issue came up again for debate.

dropped.

29

23

24

But after a back-bencher proposed that the

The Prime Minister, Dom Mintoff, told the

debate should be adjourned until ‘efficient

However, on February 15, 1929, Strickland

House that it was his hope that within a

means be found for eliminating the

laid on the Table of the House the opinion

short period of time the entire first floor

drawbacks’ the motion was adjourned.

of the Public Works Department on the

of the Palace will be used to House all the

proposed building of a Parliament House

offices connected with Parliament and

ANOTHER ATTEMPT

on the Main Guard site. The two Houses

the Governor-General. The government’s

In the 1927 elections the ruling party was

of Parliament were to be accommodated

intention, he said, was to transfer

defeated and a coalition government

on the first floor while the offices were

Parliament from the Tapestry Chamber to

composed of Strickland’s Constitutional

to be fitted in the space between the

the Armoury so that the tapestries would

Party and Boffa’s Labour Party took power.

two Houses and the staircase below. The

be protected. In the 1920s one of these

Six years of debate had failed to bring

papers also included ‘rough sketches’

tapestries was damaged when a member

about a resolution of the matter and the

25

issue was to remain dormant until 1929. It

were to be incorporated into the scheme.

10 || Futouristic

showing how the existing buildings

threw an inkpot at another member hitting the tapestries. The tapestries, he

said, should be open for viewing by the

Property was acquired for the purpose in

public rather than locked away and since

Castille Place but nothing came of it. But

Parliament will remain in the Palace there

in 2004 the idea resurfaced once again

would be no break with tradition.

when the Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi

May 1925.

floated the government’s idea of building

10

The Opposition opposed the proposed

a New Parliament House on the ruins of

May 1925,

transfer. The Leader of the Opposition,

the Opera House.

11

30

however, stressed the need for better

8

Debates of the Legislative Assembly, 24

Nov. 1924. 9

Debates of the Legislative Assembly, 4 Debates of the Legislative Assembly, 14 Debates of the Legislative Assembly, 28

May 1925.

lighting, furniture, public address system

This however, provoked a torrent of public

12

and seating. He certainly hoped that

opposition. In 2009, the government

Jun. 1925.

their present desks, which were little

unveiled the architectural plans prepared

13

better than school desks, would not be

by Renzo Piano for the regeneration of

use of the Governor and the military

transferred to a new Chamber. The matter

City Gate and the Opera House and which

services. Apart from the Tapestry

came up again for discussion almost a

also included plans for a new Parliament

Chamber few rooms belonged to

year later. In response to questions the

House.

Parliament. For MPs, holding to what they

Prime Minister informed members that

Debates of the Legislative Assembly, 15 Actually most of the Palace was for the

had obtained was a matter of principle.

that very same evening the Swedish

Despite the protests against the plans

14

Government had tabled a Motion in its

the government pressed on with the

Dec. 1925.

own Parliament to provide for the cost

project. The new Parliament House was

15

of the new furniture for the new House

inaugurated on May 4, 2011 by Prime

Feb. 1926.

of Representatives in Malta.31 The local

Minister Joseph Muscat ending a saga that

architects were Richard England and

had begun in 1921.

Michael Ellul, Head of Antiquities.

Debates of the Legislative Assembly, 15 Debates of the Legislative Assembly, 23

16

Debates of the Legislative Assembly, 16

Mar. 1926. Debates of the Legislative Assembly, 22

17

Following short speeches by the Prime

Mar. 1926.

On August 13, 1976, on the very last day

Minister and Anġlu Farrugia, Speaker

18

that Parliament was to sit before it was

of the House, the keys to the new

Oct. 1926.

dissolved and elections called, the new

building were handed to the latter by the

19

House of Parliament was inaugurated.

Commissioner of Police.

Nov. 1926.

It was opened by Sir Anthony Mamo, President of the Republic, in what he himself described as a ‘short and solemn

REFERENCES 1

On several occasions, in the period 1921-

32, whenever a joint sitting was required,

Belding, from the Swedish Embassy in

the two Chambers had to make use of the

Rome. He noted that two renowned

Armoury in the Palace for their sitting.

had assisted with the project. Another distinguished guest was Sig. Colombo, at the time President of the Italian Senate. The proceedings were wound-up by Mr. Attard Bezzina, Speaker of the House, who outlined how after six decades, a new

Debates of the Legislative Assembly, 8 Debates of the Legislative Assembly, 6

20

ceremony.’ He was followed by Mr.

Swedish architects and two foremen

Debates of the Legislative Assembly, 25

2

Debates of the Legislative Assembly, Joint

Sitting of 3 Nov. 1921. 3

Debates of the Legislative Assembly, 17

Nov. 1922. 4

Debates of the Legislative Assembly, 5

Jan. 1922 5

It has to be remembered that during this

Dec. 1926. 21

Debates of the Legislative Assembly, 13

Dec, 1926. 22 23

Ibid.,

Debates of the Legislative Assembly,

Sitting of 21 Jan. 1929. 25

These were in fact far more than rough

sketches. Debates of the Legislative Assembly,

26

Sitting of 31 Jan. 1929. 27

Debates of the Legislative Assembly,

Sitting of 4 Apr. 1929

chamber had finally come into being. The

period most of the big buildings in Malta

28

Opposition, however, did not attend the

were in the hands of the British services

Sitting of 4 Apr. 1929

ceremony claiming that, coming as it did

given their view that Malta was merely a

on the very last sitting of Parliament, the

fortress.

ceremony was nothing but a partisan act to gain electoral advantage.

6

Debates of the Legislative Assembly, 14

Feb, 1922. 7

The Auberge de France was situated

FINAL ACT

where the General Workers’ Union

The idea of building a completely new

Building now stands. It was one of the

Parliament began to circulate after 1987.

buildings destroyed during the war.

Debates of the Legislative Assembly,

29

Debates of the Legislative Assembly,

Sitting of 16 Apr. 1929. 30

Debates of the House of Representatives,

27 Mar. 1974. 31

Debates of the House of

Representatives, 17 Mar. 1975.

Futouristic || 11

Climate Change is Existential IF WE DON’T FIX IT, IT WILL FIX US

Geoffrey Lipman – co-founder at the SUNx Program, President of SUNx Malta and co-ordinator and main lecturer of the Institute of Tourism Studies’ Climate Friendly Diploma was interviewed by Mark Bibby Jackson, Diploma graduate, writer and climate change activist

12 || Futouristic

I

t is typical of the man that the first thing that Geoffrey Lipman mentions in our interview is his good friend the late Maurice Strong. “He gave me and so many others like

me the inspiration to act,” says Lipman. Strong created the UN “Green and Clean” Roadmap, which is reflected in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement, as well as launching both the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and The United Nations Framework

Geoffrey Lipman

Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). He also played a leading role, as Secretary General of the two trailblazing Earth Summits at Stockholm in 1972 and Rio in 1992, as well as creating an Earth Charter between People and Planet. “No other person played such a consistent global leadership role,” says Lipman. “He saw tourism as a catalyst for positive change because it touches so many people and communities.” DASH 2 ZERO In many ways Lipman has carried the torch that Strong left behind in what he sees as a DASH 2 Zero; a travel and tourism related response to the Race to Zero, launched by the UK Presidency in 2020. “The Race to Zero calls for halving carbon emissions by 2030 and Net Zero by 2050,” he explains. “Our DASH looks to 2030 for Net Zero Carbon – with an earlier target which we believe is possible if there is a collective resolve and incorporating offsetting which still has a grand debate underway.” A keen rugby player in his youth, for Lipman there is one massive elephant in the room that has to be tackled head on if travel and tourism is to make a meaningful contribution to meeting its Paris goals.

Futouristic || 13

“There is a big question mark around

That is the key principle behind the

aviation with limited access to non-

SUNx Program is that climate change is

fossil fuel propulsion,” he says,

existential – if we don’t fix it, it will fix

repeating his longstanding call for

us. And the travel and tourism sector

a Kennedy-style ‘Moonshot’ to solve

needs to address this through making

the problem. “If big governments, big

travel more climate friendly.

aviation, big finance and big oil were

“If big governments, big aviation, big finance and big oil were really committed then that issue could be overcome. The technology is there with systems that turn household waste and the like into SAF. The market is clearly there. Now we just need to scale

”

really committed then that issue could

“Climate Friendly Travel integrates

be overcome. The technology is there

at the core, the SDGs and their 2030

with systems that turn household

targets with the Paris 1.5 Climate

waste and the like into SAF. The market

targets,” he explains. “We don’t see this

is clearly there. Now we just need to

only in terms of the metrics, important

scale.”

though they are, but very much the mindset. If people are committed

Lipman is encouraged by

to the concept they will get to the

announcements such as Airbus’ plans

numbers in their own way. And we will

to introduce hydrogen planes by 2035,

be there to guide and support them,

but feels that such deadlines are

through our Registry, SDG 17 Partners

already too late.

and Strong Climate Champions.”

“Most important is to start now – the

In 2019, he signed a five-year

scientists say that it’s the next few

agreement with the Government

years that will be critical,” he says. “And

of Malta to create the SUNx Malta

in the three decades to 2050 we must

Program.

move to real zero greenhouse gas – not just the 75% that’s carbon.”

“Without Malta we couldn’t have done anything,” he says. “They had the

Lipman has spent his whole career

strategic vision through my friend

working in the travel and tourism

Leslie Vella to see that there was a

sector. He spent twenty years working

need to address the climate travel

with The International Air Transport

sector intersect long before it became

Association (IATA) – “from tearoom to

fashionable.

Executive Director”. Then, he became the first President of The World

They have a long climate action history

Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC)

– being the country that first put the

before joining The World Tourism

issue on the agenda of the UN General

Organization (UNWTO), becoming the

Assembly as far back as 1987. They also

Assistant Secretary General.

have a big tourism vision as a beautiful and friendly destination.”

In 2015 with the support of Maurice Strong, he established a non-profit

GRETA THUNBERG GENERATION

NGO. If this all sounds a bit like an old man’s SUNX PROGRAM

club, then nothing could be further from the truth. Although Lipman

“We called it SUN – the Strong Universal

himself might be embarking on the

Network – in honour of Maurice,”

final chapter of his illustrious career,

he says. “And added the x to remind

he is keen to emphasis the key role he

ourselves that the Climate Crisis is

often refers to as the Greta Thunberg

eXistential.”

generation has to play in solving the problems that his generation has

14 || Futouristic

caused.

Glasgow Declaration, believing that it is

speculation that Glasgow COP 26

key for the sector to work together as a

represented a last chance for the climate,

whole.

Lipman believes that in reality it was part

“

“Because it’s their world we are

destroying,” he says. “Or as Greta

of a long process that stretches back

Thunberg said, ‘It’s your

to the work that Strong started back in

mess that we will have to

Stockholm in 1972.

clean up’. So, we want to get as much of Climate Friendly Travel into their positive

thinking as possible. And we want them to be activists for change in our sector. We are training them for that and encouraging them.” This is why so many of the projects started by SUNx Malta have a focus on youth. These include the first ever diploma on climate friendly travel, the

inaugural SEYS Youth Summit held earlier this year, the recent

“It’s another in a long line of “last

We’re talking about the existential challenge facing humanity. The scale is massive. Billions of travellers, with hundreds of thousands of companies and communities.

chances” which we have heard about for many years – at least since the 2009 Copenhagen COP,” he says. “This one just has more hype than previous ones – the UK are good at that kind of thing.” That is not to say that he is underestimating the urgent need to redress the existential threat facing mankind. LEAVING A LEGACY

Summer School, and perhaps most importantly, creating a global cadre of

“There is no doubt the window for real

Climate Champions that Lipman hopes will help those in travel and tourism

action is closing, so our big leaders need GLASGOW DECLARATION

change the way that the sector works for good. CLIMATE FRIENDLY TRAVEL REGISTRY

to take the tough actions, like switching from fossil fuel energy to renewables

“We are talking about the existential

as soon as possible – and stopping the

challenge facing humanity. The scale

insane oil exploration subsidies,” he says.

is massive. Billions of travellers, with hundreds of thousands of companies

With time running out on my interview

Lipman hopes that these Champions

and communities. It will take many

as well, I have time for just one last

will work for major travel companies,

organisations to make this happen,” he

question. Having dedicated SUNx to

organisations and communities who will

says.

Maurice Strong what would Lipman like

sign up for the Climate Friendly Travel

his own legacy to be? His response is

Registry, which he believes is an essential

“We will cooperate with anyone,

component if the sector is to achieve its

which is why we signed the Glasgow

Paris goals. He encourages all within the

Declaration and are offering our Registry

“That I made a small contribution to my

sector to sign up.

for measurement and tracking of

grandkids surviving and being able to

performance.

travel easily in a climate friendly way,” he

“Join the Climate Friendly Travel Registry

typically self-effacing.

says. “And for people who knew me to

and unlock a lot of free help to prepare

At SUNx Malta, we will just keep

say he was a decent guy trying to do the

your unique climate and sustainability

following our strategy of helping

right things.”

programs and our targeted links with the

communities and companies to

UN Climate and SDG programs, which

transform to Climate Friendly Travel, in

A decent guy doing the right things, now

really operate quite separately from the

the spirit of Maurice Strong and with a

who could ask for a better epithet than

tourism world we are used to.”

“Plan for our Kids.”

that. Not that Lipman has any intention of giving up the fight for the future of the

SUNx Malta has recently signed the

Overall, despite much of the press

planet any time soon. Futouristic || 15

MBA THESIS

ABSTRACTS

16 || Futouristic

S tudent

research

The first cohort of the students have graduated in the Master of Business Administration in International Hospitality Management. The p r o g r a m m e w a s d e l i v e r e d b y IT S in academic affiliation with the Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management between 2019 and 2021. Futouristic is publishing the extended astract of some of the theses successfully submitted by some of these MBA students.

Futouristic || 17

The Perception on the Introduction of Hospitality as a Vocational Subject in Compulsory Education R E S E A R C H BY YA N I C A G A U C I SU PE RVISO R: A N D R EW D E BAT TISTA

perception and the perception of students, educators, the general public, and the labour market were addressed. However, all of these studies were held on general VET courses, rather than on a specific

introduce the subject, were investigated. Ways and means on how academia and industry can come together to meet and exceed the expectations of future employees and the future market were also targeted.

programme. This study aims to reduce the gap in literature which

From this study, it was delineated that the

focuses on the programme of

introduction of the vocational subject of

vocational and applied hospitality

Hospitality in obligatory education is of utmost

being implemented in obligatory

importance to the Maltese economy and the

education in Malta.

Hospitality and Tourism industry, since the Maltese GDP has a high dependence on the

By adopting a qualitative narrative inquiry methodology, three focus groups

T

sector as observed in statistics issued by the National Statistics Office (NSO, 2021).

were assembled, with participants being secondary schools educators, post-secondary

Figure 2 shows the perceptions of the

institutions staff and those working within

participants on the subject, which offers

he purpose of the

the industry. The use of thematic narrative

students the opportunity to gain soft skills

research is to establish

analysis aided the researcher to develop

through the lessons conducted in class,

the perceptions of

eight themes illustrated in Figure 1, which

through on-the-job training, additional courses

hospitality educators

disclosed the characteristics of the hospitality

including the food handling license, the

in secondary schools

programme and ultimately revealed the

assessment, and also through the different

needed perceptions from the participants.

challenges and projects organised yearly.

and staff at the Institute for Tourism Studies (ITS), and the perceptions of personnel

However, it is evident that educators do not

within the industry, towards the introduction

Considering the findings and discussions

have enough time to teach the subject content

of hospitality as a vocational subject in

evaluated in the study, the research questions

practically and educators tend to focus their

secondary schools. Current literature on

were addressed entirely and comprehensively.

lessons on the assessment rather than a

vocational education reveals the history and

The perceptions of the three sectors were

holistic approach.

journey of vocational education in Malta and

gathered and valued. The expected and

the vocational educational strategy used in

anticipated impact on post-secondary

Through this study, it was recorded that

different European countries. The concept of

education and the industry should one

teachers, despite having the teaching

18 || Futouristic

diving, hospitality on superyachts, and

Figure 1

service in aviation. This research revealed that the subject is well managed and that the strategic plan on the way forward is fit for purpose. Nevertheless, more collaboration between the Ministry for Education, postsecondary institutions, and the industry are required to ensure the programme is updated according to the needs of the industry, with minimal impact on the educators and the students. The vocational subjects allow those students who flourish in showing their talent in an applied way, rather than in an academic way, and therefore one must ensure that the

qualifications as per regular teacher call within

or high-flyers. Narratives from all sectors

the Public Service, require intense training

agreed that a national marketing campaign

in the different fields that the industry is

is required to expose the true picture of the

composed of, especially training in practical

industry, showing the skills, responsibilities,

operations. According to narratives from

attitude, experience, and qualifications

all sectors of this study, if the issue is not

required to work in a hospitality environment.

imminently targeted, it will have repercussions

The subject is varied, offering content in

on the programme, including a decrease

different operations, however, it is too

in students selecting the subject to study, a

focused on hotel and restaurant operations.

wrong perception of the subject from student

As suggested by participants, it would be

and parent and unprepared yet qualified

ideal to upgrade the subject according to the

future employees.

needs of the industry and include content that is currently in high market demand such as

This study revealed that the programme is offering the opportunity to students to learn

programmes offered are of high quality, tailormade for the needs of the students, and with a fair and valid assessment. The collaboration of post-secondary institutions and the industry is essential to ensure the programme is in line with industrial expectations. The perception of the stakeholders, the labour market, and the general public should all be considered before reviewing a policy or a strategy, so that the programme offered meets the needs of the economy and the industry, but above all, the needs of the students opting to study the subject.

Figure 2

the skills, knowledge, and competencies required to work within the Hospitality industry from a young age. In fact, since its conception, the Institute of Tourism Studies has drastically increased its student intake, by precisely 136% from the scholastic year 2018 to the scholastic year 2020. This is a clear indication that exposure to the subject and the industry from a young age is bearing its fruit, where students are furthering their studies in Hospitality and Tourism and seeing the industry as an opportunity to build and progress with a career. However, as indicated by the literature, narratives of this study confirmed that low-achieving students and students coming from the lower strand of the social class, tend to choose the subject in higher numbers as there is still the perception that Hospitality is for the non-academics

Futouristic || 19

Camping tourism as a possible addition to the Malta tourism portfolio RESEARCH BY CHARLES MIC ALLEF SUPERVISOR: DR. JOSEPH GEORGE M ALLIA

adequate facilities for camping tourism. It has therefore been established that no adequate camping facilities of the client-expected standard are available in Malta for both the

This study primarily looks at the crucial factors that influence the camping tourist and how the camping tourist makes certain decisions. It investigates the motivational factors and environmental

inbound and domestic camping

approach of campers when choosing

markets. This study may

camping tourism.

contribute to the possibility of adding camping tourism to

The main objective of this research is to

the Malta tourism portfolio as

address the following question: What are

it investigates what camping tourism travellers expect when travelling to Malta and to how these

C

and expectations when they travel to Malta?

demands may be met. METHODOLOGY Keywords: camping, camping tourism, amping tourism is a subcategory of adventure tourism and is acknowledged as a growing

market-segment worldwide. Despite its increasing importance in various parts of the world, camping tourism is still in its infancy in Malta and has a negligible presence, not evident in documents produced by the local relevant authorities. This study identifies a significant gap in

20 || Futouristic

camping tourism travellers’ perceptions,

camping in Malta, campsites.

The study’s primary research question, whether Malta could be a destination

INTRODUCTION

for camping tourism, was spurred by the author’s observation of several camper

Mikulić et al., (2017) classified camping

vans from Austria, Germany, France and

tourism as one of the fastest-growing

the Netherland in various campsites in

tourism industry segments (Lowry,

Sicily. This was investigated through a

2017). Adventure tourism, of which

questionnaire targeted at camping tourists

camping tourism is a sub-type, is seen

which had open-ended questions, closed-

as an additional diversification within

ended questions and a combination of

the tourism sector that can help spread

both.

tourist-numbers more evenly throughout the year (Camilleri, n.d.).

Since the research subjects are not based

Figure 1 Participants’ response on camping in Malta

Figure 2 Periods of the year preferred for camping trips

Futouristic || 21

in Malta, Facebook Groups was the choice

of camping accommodation, campsite

outside the country of residence. Hence,

of platform where people sharing the

facilities, and choice of destination.

camping tourists seem to be inclined

same interests meet. The questionnaire was formulated on Google Forms and

to travel outbound and not merely RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

posted on specific groups on Facebook.

engage in domestic tourism. Statistics of overnight camping stays in Europe

It was offered in four languages: English,

A directly relevant question for the

seem to support this high percentage of

Italian, French and German and used to

study is whether the respondents would

camping trips. The camping take-up of

collect relative data from foreign camping

consider a camping holiday in Malta.

overall overnight stays in Europe is 15.4%

enthusiasts.

53% of respondents acknowledged that

(Cerovic, Cvelic-Bonifacic, Grudic Kvasic,

they would consider Malta as a camping

2014). Nights spent at a campsite within

The approach adopted in this study

destination. 27% said that they would

the EU accounted for 12% of all tourist

is qualitative since understanding the

‘maybe’ consider it, whilst 21% said they

accommodation within the EU in 2017 (ec.

camping community concerns and needs

would not consider a camping holiday in

Europa. EU, n.d.). As shown in Figure 2,

requires a qualitative assessment rather

Malta.

the most popular period for travelling is

than merely data-based information.

the April to June quarter followed by the

Descriptive statistics were used to analyse

Respondents taking camping trips

summer months of July to September at

the basic features of the data collected,

outside their country of residence stand

29%.

displayed in charts and discussed

at 78%, where trips are usually for more

accordingly. Results were analysed based

than seven days. The most extended

The October to March period is preferred

on respondents’ demography, preferences

trips lasting over 28 days of travelling

by the > 61 years of age bracket at 18%.

Table 1 Participants’ preference of the type of camping trips

22 || Futouristic

This is understandable since this age

they would prefer to set up camp. Aires

of policies, provision of facilities and

bracket comprises mostly of retired

and Sostas represent only 10% preference

marketing the island as a camping

people who would opt to go on their

of the respondents. These are spots

destination.

holidays in the leaner months of the travel

usually used for short stays whilst touring,

industry. Such results might augur well

and offer electricity supply and basic

because Malta has a temperate climate,

sanitary facilities. These types of camping

and certain Europeans are known to travel

spots could be considered in Malta as

Blichfeldt, B.S. and Mikkelsen, M.V.

out of their country in the Winter period in

they might have the least possible impact

(2016). Camping tourism. Encyclopedia of

search of warmer temperatures.

on the environment, taking a minimum

Tourism, pp.123–124.

REFERENCES

amount of area to accommodate several The fact that camping tourism is not

users.

concentrated around the peak summer

Camilleri, A. (n.d.). Adventure Tourism in Gozo. [online]. Available at:

months supports Camilleri (n.d.), in her

This study suggests that a potential

https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/

study on adventure tourism (of which

market of camping tourism can be

bitstream/123456789/44330/1/Adventure_

camping tourism is a sub-type) in Gozo,

added to the Malta tourism portfolio if

tourism_in_Gozo_2019.pdf (Accessed 25

where she states that it is seen as a

adequate camping facilities are provided

December 2020).

diversification in tourism which can help

to the camping tourist. Most respondents

spread tourists more evenly throughout

are willing to consider a camping trip

Cerovic, Z., Cvelic-Bonifacic, J. and Grudic

the year.

to Malta whilst touring nearby Sicily or

Kvasic, S. (2014) ‘Managing the quality of

From the data collected, campers and

southern Italy. The common concern for

camping offer’. U: Filipovic, I., Klamcer

caravans are the most preferred type

both those who would and those who

Calopa, M. and Galetic, F. (ur.) Economic

of camping accommodation used by

would not consider a camping trip to

and Social Development, 7th International

travellers in camping tourism as shown in

Malta was facilities. These were analysed

Scientific Conference. (pp 62-71).

Table 1.

and discussed within the presently available camping facilities. The concept

ec.Europa.eu. (n.d.). Thinking of going

Camping tourism is based on the

of glamping (upscale camping) was

camping this summer? [online]. Available

flexible, temporary, and mobile forms

also addressed since it is currently of

at: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/

of accommodation through tents,

increasing interest in the tourism industry.

products-eurostat-news/-/DDN-20190613-

mobile homes, and recreational vehicles (Blichfeldt and Mikkelsen, 2016; Prideaux,

1?inheritRedirect=true&redirect=%2F CONCLUSION

2019). Such a high preference for caravans

eurostat%2Fweb%2Ftourism%2Fpubli cations%3E&fbclid=IwAR2zI2-NDZFKv

and campers could be attributed to the

This study has addressed an omitted area

Z3bp7l9iDRomyNSLjAYk7DCkUVOcds

fact that campers and caravans offer a

of research in the local tourism sphere by

EmVwENRR2pzKXc50

significant amount of comfort for the

generating new perspectives on camping

traveller.

tourists’ expectations should they travel to

Lowry, L.L. (2017). ‘The SAGE International

Malta. This information should be of great

Encyclopaedia of Travel and Tourism’.

Campsites are the most popular choice

interest for those entities responsible or

Volume 1. Los Angeles ; London ; New

with the respondents as to where to set

interested in facilitating this aspect of

Delhi ; Singapore ; Washington Dc ;

up camp at 61%. A campsite is an open

sustainable tourism development.

Melbourne Sage Reference.

providing shade and offering a range of

A major concern of potential camping

Mikulić, J., Prebežac, D., Šerić, M. and

services from basic sanitary facilities to

tourists is the lack of local facilities. Hence,

Krešić, D. (2017). ‘Campsite choice and the

restaurants, pools and spas. A sense of

the study concludes by recommending

camping tourism experience: Investigating

security is provided since campsites are

future studies on identifying areas

decisive campsite attributes using

enclosed, and entrance to the campsite

to be used as potential campsites of

relevance-determinance analysis’, Tourism

is controlled. This seems to tally with the

international standards. Furthermore,

Management, [online]. 59, pp.226–233.

fact that the respondents gave a high

results of this study can encourage

score to safety as a consideration when

the relevant authorities and potential

Prideaux, B. (2019). Drive and car tourism:

choosing their destination for a camping

investors to pursue camping tourism as an

a perspective article. Tourism Review

holiday. Wild camping represents 29% of

environmental and sustainable touristic

the respondents’ preference as to where

niche product through formulation

space in a rural area, usually having trees

Futouristic || 23

The Perspectives of Front-Line Hospitality Employees on Emotional Labour and Authenticity RESEARCH BY DA MIEN PEPLOW S U P E RV I S O R : I N G. DAV I D J . D I N G LI

with guests are expected to always serve their guests with a genuine

Hospitality related skills can be taught; yet can everyone be hospitable?

smile. However, for several

Emotional labour needs to be supported

reasons such as stress,

by training. Regularly providing authentic

family issues, personality traits, inauthenticity,

services is a mental struggle these employees go through daily. The mental

or financial instability

efforts required by front-line hospitality

to mention a few,

employees within some of the top 5*

service with a smile is

hotels in Malta are investigated.

not always the desired result. Inner emotions need to be masked; what is displayed on the outside might not necessarily reflect what is felt within.

G

uaranteeing service

guest and another alters, with hardly any time between such interactions to prepare oneself, depending on the situation one finds him/herself in.

The difference in feelings felt within

Repetitive smiles may cause inauthentic

and what is portrayed on the outside is

interactions with guests, which over time

known as emotional dissonance.

may lead to disheartened employees that no longer remain genuine in their

with a smile is one of the biggest

Repetitively delivering top service within

challenges service

the hospitality sector may be achieved by

organisations face

having passionate hospitable employees,

Specific traits are essential for a

however, passion alone is not enough.

successful front-line hospitality

in the 21st century. Front-line hospitality employees who are in direct contact

24 || Futouristic

The emotions one displays between one

daily encounters with guests.

employee. Ideally one should be

positive, a good team player, a good

worried about an issue, then the levels

professions, leaving continual disparities

communicator, high in extraversion and

of genuine service will be poor. Similarly,

in customer care in these 5* hotels.

low in neuroticism, and should willingly

if an employee struggles to have his /

offer warm & welcoming services to

her salary last till the end of the month.

Apart from the physical fatigue these

their guests. These qualities will help

Exceeding a guests’ expectations cannot

employees go through, this study is

motivate them along with their daily

be achieved by having employees forced

aimed at raising more awareness on

duties, which in return may lead to

to do something, as this will never lead

the mental efforts front-line hospitality

guest satisfaction, repeat business &

to outstanding service.

employees experience during their daily

profits for the hotel investors.

interactions with guests. The following Genuine service needs to be the norm

recommendations and suggestions

Success needs to be shared amongst all

because someone wants to do it on his /

were attained to illuminate what may be

employee levels, but results in this study

her own initiative, as explained in Mark

done in the future to lift these jobs into

prove otherwise. Front-line hospitality

Twain’s autobiography, by Smith H.E &

prosperous careers:

employees in 5 * hotels in Malta are

Griffin B. (2015):

not being rewarded sufficiently for the emotional work they go through daily.

“Work like you don’t need the money.

•

Strong connections between the

•

Hospitality Industry and Hospitality

Dance like no one is watching. And love Bonuses and commissions could

like you’ve never been hurt”

motivate employees who are in direct

Institutions •

Prioritise Customer Care

•

Services are as important as

contact with the guests regularly.

To achieve this form of authentic

Tangible Products

Rewarding entire shifts rather than

service amongst front-line hospitality

•

Training Solutions

individual employees may create a

employees, investment in human capital

•

Emotional Displays included in

more collective effort when teamwork

is required. Authentic services will never

is essential for guest satisfaction to be

be achieved if such employees are

•

Upselling Monetary Schemes

achieved, like in food & beverage service

perceived by their managers as easily

•

Recruitment Processes

encounters.

replaceable individuals.

Hotel owners need to appreciate their

Hiring front-line hospitality employees

understanding service with a smile from

front-line employees. They should treat

through recruitment agencies in the top

the perspectives of front-line hospitality

them as their key assets, and invest in

Maltese 5* hotels is becoming a norm.

employees.

them, as it is these employees who are

These agencies are filling up jobs for the

in direct contact with the hotel guests.

short-term and are not providing long-

The Covid-19 pandemic and the

term solutions for front-line employees.

advances in technology are proving that

Educational Systems

The intention of this paper was aimed at

Front-line employees need to be looked

there is a reduced need of direct contact

at as a venture capital for the future,

Successful careers in hospitality

between individuals, where working

where unlike tangible objects which

should exist at different levels, and

from home is becoming a new norm.

depreciate over time, the right human

such careers should not only include

Less individuals in the future might wish

capital, if invested in, will add value to

managerial positions, but also front-line

to be around people.

hotels.

career paths. This would benefit future hospitality students.

One’s own emotions need to be at ease

An appreciation of the mental efforts on this topic is essential in this day and

before one can offer a genuine service

Local teenagers who join the hospitality

age for the success of the hospitality

to his / her guests. If an employee,

industry at young ages acquire skills

industry.

regardless if he / she is a Maltese grown

and traits, however the majority of

up, or a 16-year-old student who is

these individuals do not retain their job

Everyone might be able to put on a

starting his / her first job to earn some

as front-liners within hospitality in the

smile, but not everyone has the same

pocket money, or a Third Country

future.

mental resilience to do it genuinely

National, must be emotionally stable when providing a service to others. In the case of a student, if he / she is

and repetitively. Passionate, hospitable Front-line hospitality jobs are not seen

and genuine employees deserve to be

as careers. Customer skills learnt are

recognised and rewarded accordingly.

subsequently being relocated to other Futouristic || 25

The Implementation of Emotional Intelligence among Management Teams in 5-star Hotels in Malta R E S E A R C H B Y LY D I A X U E R E B S U P E RV I S O R : I N G. DAV I D J . D I N G LI

come without challenges. After consulting with various hotel managers in Malta, the researcher discussed several

organisational effectiveness (Srivastava, 2013). Such insights have raised the interest of the researcher in investigating EI in further detail.

issues with them. Some of the topics mentioned

Research on emotional intelligence (EI) in

were high employee

the hospitality industry in Malta is close

turnover, training and

to non- existent. This study is designed

development skills

to determine the level of awareness of

required for both

and interest in EI among management

new employees and

personnel of five-star hotels in Malta and

other long-standing staff members, job satisfaction,

A

intelligence skills in their organisation.

and job performance – all

Additionally, it aims to assess the level of

of which require the company’s

EI among the management personnel of

time, money, and expertise.

the same star segment with a validated and reliable assessment tool. As EI within

leading segment of the island’s tourism industry is that of hoteliers, who welcome

tourists from every part of the globe. To the best of their abilities, they strive to accommodate guests with the highest level of service, though this does not

26 || Futouristic

whether they are developing emotional

After further research, it was found

the hospitality industry has not been

that several of these elements, such as

widely investigated, this research offers

leaders, management, job performance,

results that are valuable to academic

job satisfaction, and employee turnover

and industry perspectives through a

may be significantly affected by emotional

mixed methodology approach.

intelligence (EI; Gholipour Soleimani and Einolahzadeh, 2017; Shehu and Isa, 2017;

This study involved conducting 11 one-

Spry, 2016; Trevino II, 2020; Wolfe and

to-one interviews with management

Kim, 2013). It can thus be argued that

personnel and using the EQ-i 2.0

EI plays a significant role in achieving

emotional intelligence assessment

tool with 22 managers and general

what their emotions mean, and how their

managers of five-star hotels in Malta.

emotions affect others.

The EI model used for this research is

CONCLUSION This research aimed to determine EI’s

the revised version of Reuven Bar-On’s

Emotionally intelligent persons are

level of interest and awareness within

EQ-i.

highly conscious of their emotional

management and to assess whether

states – whether they are experiencing

EI skills were being developed among

The overall data analysis results

both positive or negative feelings such

management teams in five-star hotels

suggest a mixed level of EI awareness

as sadness and frustration – and can

in Malta. Based on a qualitative analysis

among the management teams of five-

recognise and handle them.

conducted through one-to-one interviews

star hotels, ranging from incognizant

with management personnel, it became

to knowledgeable; however, all the

They are very tuned in to the emotions

evident that not all five-star hotels

participants showed interest and

that others experience. Understandably,

were aware of the notion of EI; hence,

engagement during the interviews,

sensitivity to emotional signals

it can be concluded that not all of them

suggesting that management teams are

both from within oneself and their

were directly developing the EI skills of

interested in EI and its competencies.

social setting could make one a better

their management teams. The varied EI

Moreover, although EI training

colleague and leader.

scores resulting from the questionnaires

development programmes were not

reflected the qualitative analysis of the

common practice in these five-star

SOME THEORETICAL AND PRACTICAL

interviews. This is because participants

hotels, this study revealed that a small

CONTRIBUTIONS

with none to very little awareness of EI

number had been implementing EI training among their staff.

scored low- to mid-range quartiles, while The researcher has identified that

those with a level of EI awareness scored

EI increases team performance,

mid- to high-range quartiles, with some

The EQ-i 2.0 assessment tool also

trust between staff, staff retention,

also reaching the leadership gold bar. The

determined a mixed level of EI scores

communication, and interpersonal skills.

t-test indicated that the difference in male

among the management teams, which

This is because social and emotional

and female EI scores was insignificant.

varied from low-range to high-range

skills and

quartiles. Interestingly, management

competencies

personnel with the lowest to middle

effective

EI scores were also incognizant of

and Jiamsuchon, 2001).

the

corresponding of

EI

account

for

leadership (Viriyavidhayavongs

EI; conversely, those with the middle

The results also indicated that the management teams developing EI skills in their organisations were aware of the benefits and increased

to highest EI scores also had EI

A service-based industry such as

leadership abilities and sought to

awareness and were implementing EI

hospitality is dynamic; hence, staff and

continue to include EI training. In

skills.

management need to be sharp, regularly

contrast, management teams who had

trained, and well prepared for anything

not been initially aware of the notion

EI awareness is necessary for effective

that comes their way. Hospitality has

of EI before being contacted by the

leadership. As leaders in a high-

been growing year after year, and

researcher were interested in including

demanding, service- based industry,

one cannot expect it to grow unless

it as part of their EI development training.

hospitality management must

the people managing it do not grow

They also believed that administering EI

recognise and manage their strengths

along with it. EI literature has indicated

assessment to both management and staff

and weaknesses to meet challenging

that emotional intelligence helps people

would be the best option for a company

requirements and lead others within an

grow and educate themselves to improve

because everyone – and not only

organisation.

their emotional and social skills, from

management – can benefit from an EI

which management, staff, guests, and

assessment and its implications.

WHAT IS EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE?

companies would benefit. The research clearly illustrates the need

EI has become a topic of vast and

This research sheds light on emotional

for EI awareness and implementation

developing interest worldwide and

intelligence awareness and training

within five-star hotels in Malta and

is concerned with how we identify,

within management teams in five-star

elicits the question of the availability of

perceive, manage, and understand

hotels in Malta and provides insight into

EI coaches and practitioners in Malta to

emotions. People with a high level of EI

how EI can be measured.

provide organisations with professional

are conscious of how they are feeling,

EI training development. Futouristic || 27

The augmernted reality presentation at Palazzo Falson, Mdina

What we lost and what we found – the story of heritage and the pandemic WORDS BY VERONIC A BARBAR A V i s i t i n g L e c t u r e r a t ITS

I

f the COVID-19 pandemic has

ones and heading for the office in the

pandemic has been a sad consequence

taught us anything, it is that

morning, became out of bounds for such

that has proved a setback to many

the future is unpredictable and

a long time that we almost forgot what

heritage institutions. Not only did it

unsure. Even the things we had

they felt like.

cause a marked decrease in funds, but it

been taking for granted for ages, such as kissing our loved

28 || Futouristic

also brought extra expenditure in order The closure of museums due to the

to adhere to new regulations (Lipski

2021). In an official communication,

who the audiences were before the

Locals have also been rediscovering local

the Metropolitan Museum estimated a

pandemic, who could be the audiences

heritage – many friends of mine whom I do

loss of at least $100 million during its

now, and who might be the audiences

not know as regular museum visitors have

closure and its aftermath throughout

after all the turmoil is over. It is not just

opted to check sites and museums out.

2021 (Christiansen 2020). And yet,

a matter of coping during this situation

Some wanted to enact the role of tourists,

museum management teams across the

and ‘inventing’ tasks for staff, but rather

a role they could not fulfil abroad as they

globe realised that this was the perfect

involves having a very serious discussion

would usually do in normal circumstances.

opportunity to look back at what they

on how to tackle the sector after the

Others visited out of boredom, not having

were doing and take their time to update

pandemic is over. It will be a new world,

anywhere better to go without the village

their operations and look at new potential

with an increased focus on health and

feasts and other similar summer activities.

business models (de Jong & Grit 2021),

hygiene. Public expenditure will change,

that complement (and not conflict with)

with many groups having barely anything

Have our heritage institutions responded

the mission of heritage interpretation.

to spend and a handful of others having

well to this reaction on the part of the

been able to spend so little they actually

Maltese population, particularly of parents

Whereas, in a normal situation one would

have a lot of money to splurge. Individuals’

who were at a loss what to do with their

try to close the museum for as little as

needs and yearnings will be different, with

children, considering they had spent long

possible to do refurbishment works and

a wish to travel and explore but with a

months with very little activities to engage

the like, everyone was facing the prospect

certain hesitation. Everything will change

them.

of months with museum doors barred and

and be, different from anything we have

museum workers having, at face value,

experienced before.

very little to do. This led to the realisation

In October 2020 Heritage Malta planned a series of events (‘Babies take over Fort

that, perhaps, it was an ideal opportunity

In a situation where travel was practically

St Angelo’, ‘Art at the Fort’ and ‘Rock at

to spend more time on back-office work

impossible, and even now when tourism

the Fort’) with the fort closed to the public

and to evaluate existing approaches,

has started to wake up but is a far cry

and open only to pre-booked parents/

rethink contemporary notions, and draft

from what we had before, Maltese

guardians and their young children. The

new strategies.

museums have had to learn to diversify

events were to include a private tour of

potential audiences and, have started to

the site and an age-appropriate activity,

Among the many challenges, audiences

look at locals as visitors on an equal par

providing a safe activity to do during a

were discussed internally, to identify

with foreign ones.

time when parents with babies and young

The Tapestry Chamber housed the Council of Government even during the Second Cardiff in lockdown

Futouristic || 29

children were barely showing their faces

to for so many years, but unless such a

that were, are, and will be for the time

out of the house. Unfortunately, due to

step is taken the discipline of heritage

experiencing dire financial constraints

increased mitigation measures, these

interpretation cannot resurface strong,

due to unemployment and business loss

activities had to be cancelled, and online

resilient, and relevant to contemporary

caused by the pandemic. The Manoel

workshops were organized instead.

society.

Theatre streamed on their Facebook page

There is so much that can be done, and

One of the most common responses to

charge, with a note for those who wish

a quick look at many institutions abroad

the pandemic for numerous heritage

to give a donation, although this was not

can offer some interesting examples.

institutions was going online. Locally,

compulsory. With this reality in mind,

Some focused on research and collection

Heritage Malta launched its Virtual

many international academic journals

of material, especially oral history and

Underwater Museum and live streamed

also decided to offer free access to

experiences of the pandemic itself.

the 2020 Spring Equinox sunrise on its

publications for a couple of months.

Cardiff Story Museum organised ‘Cardiff

Facebook page. Palazzo Falson organised

in Lockdown’ – a photography project

a series of virtual children’s workshops

The heritage sector took it upon itself to

that will make sure that the pandemic

with crafts and storytelling, while the

try and give people things to do when

is adequately represented for posterity.

National Library of Malta turned its

they could not go out, as well as offering

Other museums opted to go through

scheduled programme of onsite lectures

ideas to think about when people were

their reserve collections and explore

into online documentaries.

only thinking about the virus and social

past performances and concerts free of

new possibilities of interpretation and reinterpretation.

restrictions. We have also realized Going digital was one of the ways in

that often people do not need much

which heritage professionals wanted to

encouragement to take over heritage and

A serious self-check is in order to analyse

ensure their artefacts and sites were still

do something with it.

what has been done so far, what has

present in people’s lives but it was not

been working but cannot do so any

simply about offering the same service

A very good example is the reproduction

longer in the circumstances, and what

virtually. There was an emphasis on free

of classical masterpieces by individuals

never actually worked so should be

access and public streaming, to make

at home. Some took up the task with

discarded. It is not always easy to let

sure one could reach as many sectors

whatever came at hand and in a rather

go of what one would have been used

of society as possible, including those

humoristic vein. Others made huge

The augmernted reality presentation at Palazzo Falson, Mdina

30 || Futouristic

efforts with make-up, clothing and photo

collections. What is under threat now is the

retouching to produce artistic pieces in

relationship between people and material

their own right. It went viral on social

heritage through months characterised by

Craving the theatre? Teatru Manoel’s new

media last year and one does not have to

lack of access (Lipski 2021, de Jong & Grit

initiative has got you sorted! https://www.

wonder why.

2021). This relationship not only needs

guidememalta.com/en/craving-the-theatre-

to be kept but also strengthened and

teatru-manoel-s-new-initiative-has-got-

modified.

you-sorted

keeping staff motivated in such uncertain

Ultimately, we need to decide upon and

de Jong, M., & Grit, A. (2021) Contemporary

times when regulations are constantly

make a public declaration towards change

Dutch Museums in a Post-Covid Era.

changing and where people’s list of

– to recognise the need and embrace it.

Academia Letters, Article 1696. https://

priorities does not include heritage. One

The need has been present for some time

doi.org/10.20935/AL1696 (accessed 23rd

way to respond is to try to be useful in the

but perhaps the pandemic brought the

August 2021)

present circumstance, which is what Tate

necessity at our door at an accelerated

Modern (UK) did when it opened its doors

pace (de Jong & Grit 2021). We should not

Heritage Malta Virtual Underwater

as a vaccination centre. Though heavily

miss the boat.

Museum https://heritagemalta.org/virtual-

As Christiansen (2020) mentions, not

Curatorship, 35:3, 221-224

to be overlooked either is the need of

criticized by anti-vax movements, this

underwater-museum/ (accessed 17th

action showed that heritage institutions

Museum curators and other professional

can also take up a more social role and

interpreters should ask themselves not

August 2021)

respond to the needs of the community,

only where they are at the moment, but

Heritage Malta’s Live Streaming of the

especially in difficult situations.

also where they want their institution

2020 Spring Equinox Sunrise https://

to be in the future. They should identify

heritagemalta.org/a-sunrise-like-no-other-

Once we, as heritage interpreters, accept

what is essential to have and to give to

view-spring-equinox-at-mnajdra-temples-

that balance can be restored, discussions

the community, and check whether they

from-home/ (accessed 17th August 2021)

on reinventing the world of heritage

are truly equipped with what they need in

interpretation become a necessity and

order to achieve this goal.

not a luxury, as it has been considered by many in the past.

Lipski L. (2021) Addressing threats to the functioning of museums in Poland during

They should discuss in depth how the

the COVID-19 pandemic in the context of

institution should operate, to work hand in

the role of museums in creating cultural

What do people need now?

hand with all stakeholders, ensuring that

identity and safeguarding cultural heritage,

Self-healing, socialising, feeling the warmth

heritage interpretation is not only present

Social Dissertations 2021, Vol. 15, Issue 1,

of those around them, optimism for a

but that it takes on an important and

97-112

better tomorrow, a break from hearing

beneficial role in the lives of people.

about diseases and deaths… These are

National Library of Malta’s Documentary

needed much more than education at the

Only this way can we truly update

‘Malta’s Road to Autonomy: 100 Years

moment.

ourselves, be open to new ideas and

on from the 1921 Self-Government

concepts, and ultimately not simply keep

https://www.facebook.com/

We need to ask a very important question:

our heads afloat during these unstable

NationalLibraryofMalta/

are heritage interpreters ready and fully

times, but be there to help those who

equipped to see to these needs or will they

might have started slowly falling down and

‘People Stuck at Home are Recreating

remain oblivious and sell themselves in the

don’t know what to grasp onto.

Famous Paintings and It’s Awesome’

traditional and perhaps out-dated role of solely educators and keepers of a nation’s

https://twistedsifter.com/2020/04/peopleREFERENCES

heritage?

stuck-at-home-are-recreating-famouspaintings-and-its-awesome/ (accessed 20th

Cardiff Story Museum’s initiative ‘Cardiff

August 2021)

We are lucky that, unlike in times of war,

in Lockdown’ https://cardiffmuseum.com/

the conservation of material heritage is

whatson/your-photos-cardiff-in-lockdown/

Tate Modern Art Gallery Vaccination Centre

not under threat by the current pandemic.

(accessed 17th August 2021)

https://cutt.ly/4Q5iMjG (accessed 23rd

We can still restore and protect artefacts

August 2021)

and sites, even more so with less and less

Christiansen, K. (2020) The Met and the

visitors and more time to deal with reserve

COVID crisis, Museum Management and Futouristic || 31

S tudent

research

Cooperage: The art of wine barrel making RESEARCH BY A ARON RIZZO Senior Lecturer in Food and Beverage Service, Food W i n e S t u d i e s a t ITS

T

and

Beverage Management,

and

his feature is a

aromas and flavours to the wine. There

barrel. In Bordeaux, France, aromas

step-by-step guide

are many different sizes and shapes

of cedar wood and tobacco complexity

to making barrels

of barrels (also known as casks) which

evolve in the wine. The slow oxidation

for cooperage—

depend on the cultural aspect of the

process will impart lots of tertiary

the art of making

wine producing region and the style of

aromas of coffee, toffee, caramel,

barrels. Different

wine to be produced by the winemaker.

chocolate and nuts (almonds, marzipan,

criteria are required by different

Barrels or casks are used for the

hazelnuts, and walnuts). (Kelley, 2016)

winemakers to purchase barrels

maturation of several different styles of

For this process of maturation to take

depending upon the style of wines

wines, and for the fermentation of some

place, a cellar is required, either below

being produced. Therefore, a cooper

white wines.

the ground (called cave) or temperature

must meet the requirements depending

controlled at ground level (called chai).

upon the aromas and flavours of the

When maturing wine in a barrel, there

The temperature must be cool and

wine. The origins of the wood will also

is a slow oxidation process known as

constant between 10 to 15 degrees

be explained according to the forest

micro-oxygenation. (Kelley, 2016) Wood

Celsius, all year round, from January to

regions of France and the different

absorbs oxygen at very small doses

December. There must be no drastic

toasting levels available.

so the wine flavours will develop oak

fluctuations of temperature as this will

flavours known as secondary aromas

speed up the maturation process and

Cooperage is known as the practical

and flavours. The fruit will develop a

the wine will not be able to age for a

skill and craftsmanship to make barrels.

dried fruit character with oaky aromas

long period of time. Humidity levels

The cooper is the person responsible

of sweet spices like cinnamon, nutmeg,

must be kept between 60 – 70%. Less

in making the barrel by heating the

cloves and vanilla (derived from vanillin

than 60% would heat up the cellar

wood with fire, so the inner staves can

found in oak).

and speed up the maturation process

be bent and made flexible to shape the

whilst more than 70% would develop

required barrel. (Wikipedia, 2020) Such

Wines with oak will normally have a

unwanted mould and bacteria which

craftsmanship is an art-form and a skill

smoky and toasty aroma due to its level

could spoil the wine. Bottles fitted with

that contributes to beneficial effects,

of toasting or heating applied to the

cork must be placed in a horizontal

32 || Futouristic

S tudent

research

Tamara Malaniy via Unsplash

position to keep the cork moist and avoid

wines. The barrique has a capacity of

regions across the country. The most

shrinkage and oxidation. Strong lights

225 litres producing 300 bottles of wines,

commonly known forests are from Nevers,

must be avoided as light can create a lot

equivalent to 25 cases. There is also the

Allier, Bertranges, Vosges, Troncais, and

of heat, and no vibrations are wanted in

large sized Tonneau with the capacity of

Limousin,. Normally, the French oak is

a cellar as this could disturb its sediment

four barriques of 900 litres capacity. In

more robust than American oak with a

(dead yeast that forms in the bottle after

the Burgundy wine region, it is called

finer grain. The French oak is manually

fermentation). (Morgan, 1999)

pièce (also known as Bourguigone) with a

cut by an axe whilst American oak is cut

capacity of 228 litres. An American oak

by a saw, so there is less wastage of trees

The winemaker will purchase barrels for

hogshead has a capacity of 300 litres and is

to make one American oak barrel. French

the style of wine being produced according

widely used in New World countries of USA

oak imparts more aromas of vanilla, cedar

to different criteria which mainly depend

and Australia. The large sized puncheon

wood and tobacco whilst American oak

on four factors:

has an even bigger size of 500 litres. Even

provides a sweeter taste and coconut sweet

larger is the demi-muid barrel of 600 litres,

spices. Most winemakers either use French

1. The size of the barrel: there are many

and the largest of all is the foudre, the

or American oak or a combination of both

different shapes and sizes of barrels. The

standard size being 2000 litres reaching

barrels for an acquired taste or style, or for

reason being the surface ratio effect on

up to 12000 litres. Such large barrels are

cost reasons (as American oak is cheaper

the wine. Smaller oak barrels will have a

widely used in Italy (called botte) for both

than French oak). (Nadalie Corporation,

greater effect on the wine as the surface

the fermentation and maturation of most

2019)

ratio effect is larger. The larger the barrel,

Italian wines. (Kelley, 2016)

the less surface ratio effect on the wine,

3. The level of toasting: coopers give

but the slower the micro-oxygenation

2. The origin of the barrel: most wine

different levels of toasting to the barrels by

process. The most common used in most

barrels are commonly of European

placing a fire in the barrel to toast the inner

wine producing regions is the French oak

(Quercus robur) or American (Quercus

staves. Different levels are used normally

barrique (also known as the Bordelaise)

Alba) oak origin. The most common oak

at low toasted (LT), medium toasted (MT) or

which is used in the Bordeaux region for

in Europe comes from the various French

highly toasted (HT). (Stock, 2019)

the maturation of fine investment red

forests which are classified into different

Futouristic || 33

Oak barrels in various stages of construction (Goode, 2018)

4. The age: the newer the oak barrel,

grounds of tonnelerie Nadalie. The natural

the more pronounced flavours will be

climatic factors will affect the maturation

imparted to the wines including more

of the wood and therefore are crucial

spiciness and toastiness. The older the

in the creation of potential aromas and

oak barrel, the less influence the flavour

flavours of the wine. The French oak is

on the wine. Normally an oak barrel

split using an axe producing a finer grain

has a lifespan of about four years after

which contributes to the fine oaky aromas.

which there is risk of cross contamination

The staves are produced and left to season

by bacteria. Therefore, such 5-year-old

outside in the air and exposed to sun, rain,

barrels are either used for marketing

and wind conditions for at least two years.

purposes or sold to a whisky producer in

Such conditions will change the wood and

Scotland for the maturation of cask for

release the required complex flavours.

finished Scotch whisky.

This will discard any unwanted tannins (the mouth drying sensation) and therefore

Premium wines are normally made

reduces its harshness creating aromatic

with new oak barrels as the costs of

characters in the wine.

production can be justified by their high

Assembling the barrel to the shape of a rose (Goode, 2018)

selling price. However, it is the belief

STAGE 2: SELECTING THE STAVES:

of most winemakers that oaky aromas

SHORTENING, JOINTING AND FITTING

can overpower wine aromas. So the winemaker has to take a decision whether

The master cooper carefully selects each

to use oak or not, and to consider the

stave by precise visual inspection to

above-mentioned factors. (Nadalie

produce a barrel. Each and every stave is

Corporation, 2019) (Kelley, 2016) (Goode,

trimmed on both ends to create a barrique

2018) (Morgan, 1999) (Sogg, 2001) (Stock,

of 225 litres which is then shortened to

2019)

95cm. The stave is then given a shape equivalent to a concave (inside) and

A fire is created to bend the staves and for toasting (Goode, 2018)

There are oak alternatives which imitate

convex (outside) – a process called dolage.

the micro-oxygenation process such as

The jointing process will ensure that every

oak chips or oak staves but will have a

edge of every stave will have its desired

very slight influence on the wine and are

angle to be joined with the other staves.

normally used for wines that are sold at a

The fitting process will ensure all staves

cheaper price and for entry level style of

are sorted into a special machine fitting

wines. (Stock, 2019)

the staves with the circumference of the barrel. Every barrel needs a stave 9cm

The author has visited a tonnelerie (a

wide to drill a bung hole. At this stage,

company making barrels) called Nadalie

every cask is numbered individually for the

which is located in the Bordeaux region of

identification of the cask.

France. The oak wood is selected from the French national forestry office keeping all

STAGE 3: ASSEMBLING TO A ROSE

rules and regulations in line with national procedures. The process of making a

Every cask is assembled together,

barrel will be explained in a step-by-step

individually, in the shape of a rose by the

guide of 13 stages, as follows:

use of a special machine. The staves of the barrel must be levelled with the use of a

STAGE 1: NATURAL CUTTING, SPLITTING

hammer tapping on the ends of the staves.

AND SEASONING OF THE WOOD STAGE 4: BENDING The wood is given an air-drying, natural

34 || Futouristic

maturation process starting from the

The cask is placed over a fire. Since a

forest and then transported outside the

fire has quite a hot temperature, water

is applied to soften the wood that will

lift the head into the croze from the bung

with all information required by the customer

cause the staves to bend and shape by the

hole. The identification numbers, origin,

clearly visible. The packaged barrels are

cooper using a windlass.

and toasting of the barrel are stamped on

stored in a suitable temperature warehouse to

done until the required shape of the staves

the chime (the head part of the barrel) for

be prepared for shipping to the customer or

is bent.

traceability.

winemaker. (Nadalie Corporation, 2019)

STAGE 5: TOASTING

STAGE 10: TESTING AND REPAIRING THE

REFERENCES

This process is

BARREL The barrel is toasted by placing it again in

Goode, J., 2018. Wineanorak.com. [Online]

the fire at high temperature depending

Every cask is tested by filling in the barrel

Available at: http://www.wineanorak.com/

on the winemakers’ requests on the level

with approximately 10 to 15 litres of hot

howoakbarrelsaremade.htm

of toasting required. The minimum time

water (normally between 80 – 100 degrees)

[Accessed 23 August 2021].

required to create an LT (low toasted

and with compressed air to increase the

barrel) is of 20 minutes. This level of

pressure inside the cask. The cask is then

Kelley, W., 2016. Decanter Magazine. [Online]

toasting will create those smoky and sweet

rolled to observe or discover any leakages

Available at: https://www.decanter.com/learn/

spicy secondary aromas in the wine.

and cracks that can be repaired by the

oak-barrels-335990/

cooper. If the barrel does not leak, then it

[Accessed 23 August 2021].

STAGE 6: TRIMMING

can proceed to the hooping stage. Morgan, J., 1999. Wine Spectator Magazine.

This process involves the cutting of a

STAGE 11: POLISHING OF BARREL

[Online] Available at: https://www.

groove or croze at the end of the staves

AND SETTING THE HOOPS (Nadalie

winespectator.com/articles/building-a-better-

to insert the head part of the cask. The

Corporation, 2019)

barrel-20189[Accessed 23 August 2021].

done at this stage (bevelling the edges).

Every barrel is polished using a sanding

Nadalie Corporation, 2019. Tonnelerie nadalie.

The drilling of the bung hole is done at this

machine to give the exterior part a fine

[Online]

stage in the 9cm width stave.

polish. The heads and the tops of the

Available at: https://www.nadalie.fr/wp-

chimes (the top parts of the staves) have

content/uploads/2019/09/Vats-and-Casks-

to be polished or sanded physically by a

user-manual-1.pdf[Accessed 23 August 2021].

chamfering of the end of the staves is

STAGE 7: PREPARING THE HEADS

cooper using a very tight sanded grain. The heads must be sorted according to

Hoops (which have been galvanized to

Sogg, D., 2001. Wine Spectator Magazine.

size, length and width, and assembled

avoid corrosion) are then fitted onto the

[Online] Available at: https://www.

with strips of reed between each head.

barrel with a special hydraulic machine.

winespectator.com/articles/barrel-

To ensure that all heads are properly

(Sogg, 2001)

making-9298 [Accessed 23 August 2021].

STAGE 12: BARREL MARKING AND LOGOS

Stock, M., 2019. The Manual. [Online]

aligned, a laser machine is used to ensure assembling precision. (Nadalie Corporation, 2019) STAGE 8: CUTTING THE HEADS

Available at: https://www.themanual.com/ The markings on the barrel are according

food-and-drink/master-coopers-wood-barrel-

to the customer requirements (the

makers-pacific-northwest/ [Accessed 23

winemakers who purchase the barrels)

August 2021].

The heads are cut and chamfering takes

which normally display the origin of the

place (bevelling the edges to a rounded

wood forest, the level of toasting required

Wikipedia, 2020. Cooperage. [Online]

edge) to be aligned with the staves of the

and any other specifications that the

Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/

barrel.

winemaker requires. However, a plaque

Cooper_(profession) [Accessed 20 August

made of brass with logo is nailed onto the

2021].

STAGE 9: SETTING THE HEADS

barrel showing the cooper who made the barrel. (Nadalie Corporation, 2019)

A mixture of flour and water is placed in the groove or croze so the heads can be

YamHill Valley, 2017. Wines of the Valley. [Online] Available at: https://www.

STAGE 13: PACKING AND LOADING

fitted in. this is done using special tools.

yamhillvalleywines.com/article-layoutwines-2?articleTitle=rollbarrel-making-out-

A tire-fond is used to pull the head from

The finished barrel is wrapped tightly

the-barrels--1369956310--369--

the top part and a tapping-fond is used to

according to strict packaging regulations

[Accessed 23 August 2021]. Futouristic || 35

S tudent

research

Image credit: Jason Briscoe via Unsplash

Ingraining Eco-Efficiency as a Core Value in Hotel Employees through the Management style of their Leaders RESEARCH BY EM A-SINEAD Z A M MIT (B. A . IHM)

I

t is a commonly known fact that

2014). In the Mediterranean, tourism

tourists in Malta, Europeans in particular

hotels have a direct negative

infrastructure and activity often have

are responsible for raising the demands

impact on the environment Hotels

irreversible effects on natural areas rich

and supply of accommodation services.

bring about the displacement

in biodiversity, particularly those near the

Compared to the average Maltese resident,

of natural inhabitants, generate

coast. This results in habitat deterioration

statistics show that each tourist consumes

waste, use up a lot of water and

of both terrestrial and aquatic plant and

three or four times more water daily and

produce many other types of pollution. This

animal communities, as reported by the

produce double the municipal solid waste

puts pressure on fossil fuel usage, sewage

European Environment Agency in 2015 and

(European Environmental Agency, 2015).

systems and other aspects of infrastructure,

again in 2020.

Undoubtedly, such disturbing statistics

and take up a substantial amount of space among countless other issues (Hossan, 36 || Futouristic

should act as a global wake-up call to Being the most common demographic of

leaders within the hospitality industry, as

the phenomenon presents both national

but similar to what was deduced from the

and international concerns.

literature, thus adding value to the research

partner (Bharwani & Butt, 2012).

found. One may note that formal training

Finally, upon recruitment, managers must

AIM & SCOPE

is still highly valued and embedded in the

foster a strong awareness and sensitivity

This dissertation concerns the issue of the

Maltese industry while the Finnish industry

towards sustainability actions with all

lack of eco-efficient responsibility adopted

has turned to specific alternatives to

employees. We live in a democratic polity;

by hotels in Malta and abroad. Throughout

traditional policies. Finally, both interviewees

keeping citizens informed is the obligation

the study, hotels are viewed as a place of

assert that management is responsible

of the government since dissemination of

work rather than a service to guests. The

for influencing staff members through

information is the foundation of the system.

aim of the study is to answer the following

knowledge, behaviour, commitment,

Apart from sharing knowledge, managers

research question:

resources, and tools they offer.

must equip their subordinates with the skills,

How can hotel managers use their influence

The questionnaire was distributed to 105

‘part of the problem’. After all, the leadership

and style of management to instill the values

employees of hotels based in Malta. The

skills we gain through our involvement in

of eco- efficiency within their subordinates?

aim was to get an insight of hotel employees

societal and environmental impact initiatives

values and motivation to engage them as

concerning the issue of eco-efficiency at

develop us into good leaders in the

The scope is to move away from nonspecific

their workplace and to understand the gap

workplace and help raise the profiles of the

and overlooked policies that have not

between environmentally conscious hotel

businesses we represent in the community.

been proven to be effective and adopt

employees and otherwise.

Additionally, one must remember that

the threading of eco-efficiency goals and

FINDINGS & RECOMMENDATIONS

preserving the natural environment through

innovations through the foundations of

It was found that the transformational

eco-efficient work, the employees are

existing frameworks. The dissertation seeks

leadership style is ideal for ingraining core

preserving the touristic destination and thus,

to find the ideal leadership styles adopted by

values in employees, as both the literature

adding value to the guest experience.

hotel managers to reach these goals, adding

and empirical research have confirmed

value to the human resources, the business,

this. The management style should

It was revealed that hotel managers should

and the natural environment.

accommodate the eco-efficiency goals of the

use innovative tools such as environmental

business.

programs and leadership agendas (as drawn

a functionalist approach that promotes

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY & ANALYSIS

Photo around credit: marinahotel.com.mt hospitality revolves the guest. By

from the literature) that directly tackle issues

The aim requires tackling the topic from a

Additionally, continuous training and

of eco-efficiency. Such tools should include

multidisciplinary and holistic approach, to

teaching efforts are necessary to keep

measurable goals with detailed solutions

avoid vulnerabilities and inconsistencies that

employees motivated. It is recommended

and should be updated according to the

may result from partial or biased research.

that monthly formal training is executed by

needs and resources of the hotel and the

Therefore, to satisfy this requirement, three

professional educators and environmental

environmental situation. For optimum

different research methods were used to

experts and should be delivered to

effectiveness, the programme should

answer the research question: two semi-

employees and managers alike. For

be used daily to ingrain the goals within

structured interviews, questionnaires and

managers to be drivers of Education for

employees. A professional development

desk research. Both local and international

Sustainable Development (ESD), they must

programme that provides the critical mass

sources have allowed the findings to be

first be equipped with the knowledge of

to translate awareness of sustainability

relevant beyond borders.

eco-efficiency and the soft skills required

issues into action can be a solution. Such a

to communicate the efforts towards eco-

programme needs to be designed keeping

Qualitative interviews with two industry

efficiency. Hotel managers, human resource

in mind the need to increase knowledge and

experts were chosen as a research method

executives and sustainable development

leadership skills relative to eco-efficiency

to countercheck, fill the gaps found in the

specialists must be called upon to infuse

among various ‘multipliers’ in society,

literature review, and enrich the existing

the task of educating and committing

such as NGO staff, community workers

data. One interviewee represented the

subordinates and reaching the business

and company managers. The programme

Finnish hospitality industry while the other

goals. The role of the human resource

should feature content to clarify the theory

represented the local hospitality industry.

management must evolve from a passive

of eco-efficiency and community outreach

The analysis proved that the interviewees’

administrative role to become a champion

to provide practical learning situations for

responses were infrequently identical,

for the employee and a strategic change

employees and services for the community. Futouristic || 37

Characteristics of Quality Assurance from the viewpoint of Hospitality and Tourism Education WORDS BY KEVIN ELLUL S e n i o r L e c t u r e r II

G

in

Food Preparation

and

Production

at

IT S

ood quality

they are currently studying. Learning

academic and non-academic staff for

assurance

ethos are a true example of what

increased mobility to other educational

practices within

quality assurance can lead to within an

institutions both locally and abroad

a culture of

educational institution from a student’s

(Trowler, 2010). This change also

continuous

perspective. For students, learning

created more learning spaces and led

evolving

ethos are all those factors which are

tourism and hospitality educational

educational system are currently

related to the input they are giving their

institutions to work in a closer

playing an important part more than

respective programme of study.

relationship with the working industry.

ever. Students are observing and

Having such an educational scenario

understanding the role of quality

Over the years, tourism and hospitality

in place, provided an opportunity to

assurance as an improvement process

education in Malta has been through

tourism and hospitality educational

which will eventually benefit them.

continuous changes. These led to

institutions to increase their tuition

holistic reform processes, affiliations

fees and give a better input to societal

To be able to value what they are

with other institutions and universities,

necessities.

learning, students need to verify

introduction of new courses and

important factors within their learning

upgrading currently running courses

The continuous application and

environment. These factors vary from

to higher levels. This was a prime

increased importance given to quality

lecturers’ professionalism, diversity of

factor which directly contributed to

assurance processes in education,

lecturing aids, different assessment

institutions enrolling more students to

provided an opportunity to all

styles used for their work, and

study both locally and internationally.

stakeholders involved in educational

opportunities that are awaiting in the

This situation offered many more

institutions to be more transparent and

future when they graduate from the

learning opportunities to students

to show their quality levels through

same educational institution where

and also opened new horizons for

auditing processes.

38 || Futouristic

Systems scrutiny which is performed

and validated to reach the neces-sary

to the level of programmes offered and

from time to time according to the set

standardized levels. This does not mean

the resources and tools available to

and required standards both from local

that with such methodology in education,

reach modules learning outcomes within

regulators such as the Malta Further

all students are going to be the same,

different modules / units. When students

and Higher Education Authority (MFHEA)

but with such a system in place students’

are given a top priority in educational

and educational regulative bodies in the

learning, lecturing and also quality will be

systems, then quality as an ongoing

European Union such as Cedefop (the

improved accordingly.

process can be properly audited, verified

European Centre for the Development of

and validated to gauge their impact on

Vocational Training), contribute towards

Different stakeholders in the tourism

student’s welfare in their learning and

better growth of vocational education

and hospitality educational systems

assessment.

in European countries. Learning

have different ideas and views about any

is a process by which an individual

purposely tailor made and defined quality

Quality is a valuable factor that

assimilates data, concepts and principles

systems which is specifically designed for

contributes directly to the concept of

which will thus gain information,

their respective areas.

responsibility. A lot of changes are taking

knowledge, skills and capabilities.

place in the educational sector including

Learning may take place in formal, non-

It seems that within the educational

the vocational area as well. Such

formal, or in-formal situations (Cedefop,

area if all is well planned, aims,

changes are due to the fact that students

2014).

objectives and figures are reached and

demands have changed and they are

everything is running smoothly without

also questioning what they are being

It is important to remember that the

any problems! This is not actually the

taught (Mendez-Vilas, 2011). This means

students of today are going to be the

case, especially in the education area

that value for money is the key factor for

workforce of the future and one way

where everything is evolving in a rapid

educational institutions and this means

quality can be measured is to analyse the

way. The main goals of an educational

clear transparent account-able processes

students’ final destinations a few years

institution can be accessible through

to all stakeholders, the general public, the

after their studies. This idea of good

the institution’s mission statement, the

government as the main sponsor (if not a

quality educational systems is used by

quality of programmes offered and their

private institution)and most importantly

educational institutions when the quality

learning outcomes. Learning is not just

students. Quality can be measured by the

in education is put on the agenda for

reading books, but must be backed by

results obtained from students who are

discussion both at local and international

experiences and practical work which

also being supported in their studies with

educational level. Quality is generally

contribute to a better understanding of

stipends paid by the government which

related to constant processes through

what is being taught in theory (Karttunen,

also helps in motivating students towards

which standard operating procedures

2014). The lecturing quality of an

their studies and commit themselves in

and policies are followed, verified

educational institution is also connected

their personal growth.

Quality assurance aspects and symptomatics in tourism and hospitality education

Futouristic || 39

QUALITY ASSURANCE WITHIN

quality assurance systems are in place

a healthy quality culture, are increasing

THE TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY

within educational institutions, systems

standards and principles to contribute in

EDUCATION AREA

guarantee a responsibility concerning the

the attainment of excellence in lecturing

issue of public resources used in such

and learning as a continuously developing

government educational institutions.

quality process. Quality in education can

Quality assurance can be best described as a well-planned and structured ongoing

be measured and verified if it is reaching

process in terms of quality upkeeping

Through quality assurance management

the required standards, by the knowledge

and upgrading. Quality assurance can

and planned assessment, high levels of

of and successful results attained by the

be viewed as an asset in keeping quality

quality achievements can be realised,

respective students. Quality assurance

processes in tourism and hospitality

which also help educational institutions

should not have just one obligation, but

education running smoothly. It also

management to attain more confi-dence

multiple commitments to be effective

leaves room for improvement where

from key stakeholders when intended

holistically within an educational

necessary, to better achieve an effective

results are reached. Nowadays new

institution.

quality system for the benefit of all

approaches are adapted in quality

stakeholders especially students. Today,

assurance, such as the increased

The most important commitment towards

most students are more informed about

importance and weight given to external

quality assurance are learning procedures,

what they are going to learn, and they

auditing and scrutiny.

continuity in enhancing programmes of

have already researched what they are

studies, opening more doors for new

going to learn. This puts more pressure

DIMENSIONAL FEATURES OF QUALITY

learning opportunities, opportunities for

on the learning style that is going to

ASSURANCE IN TOURISM AND

creating more awareness about quality,

be used, which needs to be based on a

HOSPITALITY EDUCATION

continuous professional development

student-centred approach (Li, 2012).

programmes for staff, providing more trust Tourism and hospitality education have

to academic staff mobility and students’

Quality assurance is based on specific

an important role in the educational

exchanges which also aid in upgrading

policies, processes and also procedures

sector as they offer another dimension

certification. Quality assurance also offers

that ensure the study programmes

of excellence in education to quality

transparency and accountability of the

running by the educational institutions

assurance. Such institutions running a

educational institution to all stakeholders

are kept at highest levels. When such

quality assurance system in place with

involved including the students’, the

40 || Futouristic

general public and the government.

requirements are met and also in

as this will result in more options to

This can be achieved by making the

surpassing curriculums’ minimum criteria

choose from in the future.

stakeholders aware of the activities taking

it sets the specific learning outcomes

place in such institutions, by providing

and programme goals. According to the

Quality assurance must be the

the relevant information through social

European Association of Universities

responsibility of everyone involved in

media, websites, periodicals, journals and

(2013) it is important that students

education particularly the academics who

public consultation. It is imortant that

provide the required constructive

are the front liners facing students’ in

lectures are delivered in a well-structured

feedback through various data collecting

their daily academic needs. The greatest

learning ambiance which will help provide

tools so that the educational institution

challenge of all is getting educators

a better future workforce (Arulsamy,

will be in a position to better enhance

and policy-makers to understand that

2014).

quality assurance processes accordingly.

piecemeal reforms cannot meet current

JUSTIFICATION OF QUALITY ASSURANCE

Quality assurance can be seen from the

acts as a control mechanism which

educational needs. Quality assurance perspective of the regulatory bodies

proves and demonstrates that things

When quality is mentioned, people

in tourism and hospitality educational

are done accurately within the required

automatically start thinking about

institutions. From the introduction

standardised parameters sets. Education

standards, control, performance and

of quality assurance in educational

from a lecturer-centred approach to

achievements. Standards can be regarded

institutions, the same institutions are

student-centred approach is the way

as measurable outcome indicators.

revealing more of what is going on

forward, keeping in mind the most

Sometimes the application of such

internally, and what systems and policies

important factor: not leaving any student

standards can be very challenging due

are in place to achieve total transparency

behind (Aslan & Reigeluth, 2015).

to the fact that educational institutions

in the running of the Institution. This

are continuously evolving. When there

is opening the way for students to be

is a change in situations and standards,

more multi-skilled according to what

these may be seen as out of context,

the working industry is demanding. By

Quality assurance in tourism and

as standards can create problems

using a thematic based curriculum, more

hospitality education, is a strategy which

and doubts in the quality processes in

students are given the opportunity to

motivates the improvement of standards

place. This can be seen at as a process

study and be successful in their studies

and the upkeeping of such processes

in ensuring that minimum quality

and at a later stage when they graduate

especially when it comes to designing

EMPHASIS ON QUALITY ASSURANCE

Futouristic || 41

of new courses. It is also an important

Various approaches lead the best

systems to start evaluating lecturing and

factor in the lecturing and learning

outcomes of having a quality assurance

learning processes within the education

process, which must be supported by a

system in place. Peer assessment is one

fora.

proper communication structure.

approach towards quality assurance which aims to examine rigorously the

External quality assurance mechanisms

Quality assurance must also be at the

quality state of tourism and hospitality

can be described as those criteria which

heart of every staff member, backed up

education institutions and other

holistically and in a standardized manner

with constructive external feedback from

programmes offered within educational

assess the educational institutions quality

external stakeholders such as employers

institutions. A student’s approach

assurance systems in place if these are

and students who are part of the ongoing

measures variables within the students’

kept to the required standards.

process, that is the educational system.

fora during their studies and after they

The most important factors for educational institutions nowadays are the attainment of three goals: developing student into competent individuals, equipping them with the right tools to have a decent and professional career, developing student competences to higher levels and instigating in

“

them a sense of reflecting and learning from past experiences (Schneckenberg, Ehlers and Adelsberger, 2011).

graduate

Quality assurance is often viewed as a procedure or guidelines for maintaining standards (O’ Sullivan, 2017). These standards include programme

Quality assurance must also be at the heart of every staff member, backed up with constructive external feedback from external stakeholders

accreditation, various types of assessments and also intensive external auditing. External quality assurance is the process which totally covers quality related assessment processes, which are performed by external bodies from the same institutions to be audited (ibid). Main factors affected by a quality assurance system in place are the enhancement of quality within tourism

Approaches to quality assurance

and hospitality educational institutions,

depend upon the educational

information on standards and quality that

system quality assurance culture in

from the

are derived from various sources such

place and who really has ownership of

institution. Students’ learning is changing

as websites, recognition of programmes

the quality assurance processes for the

every day in the way they learn, how they

of study, transparency on standards

benefit and support of the educational

respond to feedback and how they think

reached and probity procedures. External

institution holistically (ibid). Forces within

about their future (Gosper & Ifenthaler,

quality assurance observation can vary

tourism and hospitality educational

2014). The importance of a total quality

from educational institutions’ auditing,

institutions that directly affect the impact

management within a quality assurance

monitoring of standards set, and

of quality assurance are management,

system in place works best in a system

assessment practices in place.

academics, pedagogical attributes and

of stakeholders who are participative,

future employment. From a management

orientated towards students’ aims and

QUALITY ASSURANCE FROM AN

point of view, the focus is on the im-

objectives, structural education and also

INTERNAL POINT OF VIEW

plementation of policies and procedures

synchronisation within all processes

in place, and the management must

involved in quality assurance.

be the key player of such system. From

Apart from external quality assurance in educational institutions, the development

a pedagogical aspect, the continuous

QUALITY ASSURANCE FROM AN

of internal quality assurance systems in

development of academic staff in new

EXTERNAL POINT OF VIEW

place also helped in the harmonisation

lecturing styles, assessment methods, and

of keeping in line with quality assurance

student support skills is of paramount

The need for building up quality

standards set. These two elements

importance.

assurance systems in educational

provide greater stability in tourism

institutions led to the creation of external

and hospitality education institutions,

42 || Futouristic

lecturing and learning processes.

REFERENCES

Internal quality assurance is bound with

A.Mendez-VIlas. (2011). Quality indicators

the study programmes policies and

within the use of open educational

internal procedures to make sure that

resources in higher. Formatex.

Karttunen, A. (2014). Quality in recognition

the set outcomes are achieved within

Available at https://lucris.lub.lu.se/ws/

and accreditation of non-formal and

the quality assurance standards. Quality

files/5960887/2295463.pdf. Accessed on

informal learning. Office of the European

assurance should not only depend on

17 Janu-ary 2019

Education and Training Policy. Accessed on

Mark N.K. Saunders, P. L. (2016). Research Methods for business Students. Essex,

external quality assurance reviews, but

England: Pearson Education Limited.

25 May 2019

on internal quality assurance processes

Arulsamy, G. T. (2014). Understanding the

where in educational institutions, internal

paradigm shift in lecturing and learning.

Li, N. (2012). Approaches to

evaluation and improving processes

International Journal of Social Science.

learning:Literature review. Research

should be in place. New approaches in

Accessed on 23 January 2019

Paper. Available at https://www.ibo.org/

quality assurance are both exciting and

globalassets/publications/ibresearch/

challenging. This is due the fact that they

Aslan, S. & Reigeluth, C.M. (2015).

approachestolearningeng.pdf

offer new and enhanced opportunities

Examining the challenges of learner-

Accessed on 10 June 2019

for students to learn by challenging them,

centred

and has implications for institutional

education, Phi Delta Kappan, 97(4), pp.

O’Sullivan, D. (2017). Evolution of internal

infrastructure, learning and lecturing

63-68. Available at https://kappanonline.

quality assurance at one university – a case

(Gosper & Ifenthaler, 2014).

org/challenges-learner-centered-

study. Quality Assurance in Education, pp.

education-aslan-reigeluth . Accessed on12

189-205. Available at https://www.emerald.

February 2019

com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/QAE-

CONCLUSION

03-2016-0011/full/html . Accessed on 23 Quality assurance systems are in place

Bowden, M.P., Abhayawansa, S., &

in tourism and hospitality educational

Bahtsevanoglou, J. (2015). Overconfidence

institutions to improve quality with the

of vocational education students when

Schneckenberg, D., Ehlers, U. & Adelsberger,

main aim to reach students’ needs.

entering higher education, Education +

H. (2011). Web 2.0 and competenceoriented

Training, 57(4), pp. 429-447. Accessed on

design of learning potentials and

17 January 2019

implications for higher education’, British

This aim is reached with an organised, anticipatory and educative actions

August 2019

Journal of Educational

in place. System and also students’

Cedefop (2014). Terminology of European

assessment, positive attitude,

Education and Training Policy. Office of

Tech-nology, 42(5), pp.747-762. Available

systematic procedures like auditing and

the European Union. Available at http://

at https://www.academia.edu/3881367/

responsibility towards standards are all

www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/publications-

Web_2.0_and_competenceoriented_design_

vital important factors for a successful

and resources/publications/4117 .

of_learning-Potentials_and_implications_

quality assurance system which offers

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for_higher_education_Web_2.0_and_

validation and transparency to all stakeholders involved.

competence-oriented_design_of_learning . European Association of Universities.

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(2013), Quality Culture in European Students should be allocated the right

Universities: A Bot-tom‐Up

Stoddard, L. & Standard-Examiner (2012).

resources and environment so that they

Approach. Available at http://www.

An alternative to common core’,

can fully participate in their programme

eua.be/eua/jsp/en/upload/Quality_

ENCOUNTER: Education for meaning and

of study (Bowden, Abhayawansa &

Culture_2002_2003.1150459570109.pdf

Social Justice, 25(2), pp. 38-39.

Bahtsevanoglou, 2015). If students don’t

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have the right study environment they

Trowler, V. (2010). Student engagement

may drop out of courses, will not react

Gosper, M. & Ifenthaler, D. (2014).

literature review. York, UK: Higher

positively to learning and the chances

Curriculum design for the twenty-first

Education Academy. Available at https://

that they will start resisting learning will

century’, in Gosper, M. & Ifenthaler, D.

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Century. New York

. Accessed on 25 November 2019

Futouristic || 43

Digitisation: An unparalleled opportunity to ensure a future for our past RESE ARCH BY TONY C ASSAR

Manager Digitisation, Heritage Malta

W

44 || Futouristic

ho would

possibility of having whole museums and

living in today, thanks to digitisation.

have

countless historical sites stored in our

imagined,

personal devices, waiting for us to click on

This process of converting physical

just a few

a button and watch their priceless contents

information, oral traditions and living

years

unfold on our screens? But that is, indeed,

expressions into a computer-based format

back, the

the uncanny, yet wonderful, reality we are

is the way forward for the cultural sector. It

transcends time and space, bringing research

up its newest unit, namely the Digitisation

Secondly, Heritage Malta is investing heavily

and knowledge to our fingertips wherever

Department, whose task is to digitise the

to secure sufficient resources for the

we are and whenever we want, defying all

cultural and natural heritage assets entrusted

Digitisation Department and ensure excellent

natural disasters and human foul play that

to Heritage Malta for the widest possible

quality in the final product through the latest

threaten our cultural heritage ... even defying

use by current and future generations. By

equipment on the market. These resources

deadly pandemics which bring the flow of

managing and supervising the latest state-

cover all related fields, such as photography,

daily life to a grinding halt.

of-the-art equipment in the industry, the

videography, 3D laser scanning,

Digitisation Department is fast becoming one

photogrammetry and, most importantly, a

of the leading departments in the institution.

Collections Management System (CMS) which

Through digitisation, Heritage Malta is taking an unparalleled opportunity to live

enables not only the cataloguing of artefacts

up to its motto of ensuring a future for

The goals outlining the mission of this

but also of every conservation intervention

our past. As the national cultural heritage

young department include protecting and

conducted over time.

agency, responsible for the preservation and

enhancing the value of all Heritage Malta

interpretation of our national patrimony,

digital assets through coordinated digital

One of the first tasks entrusted to the

Heritage Malta is fully aware of the great

asset management; raising awareness

department was the digitisation of

advances in digital tools and technology, and

and increasing the use of Heritage Malta’s

thousands of artefacts housed within the

of the fact that these advances have placed it

digital resources within and outside the

Malta Maritime Museum, which is currently

at an important milestone in its existence.

organisation; cultivating an internal culture

closed for a major overhaul. The Maritime

that embraces digitisation and the sharing

Museum project has received around €2

As technology moves forward by leaps and

of Heritage Malta collections, research

million in funding from the EEA Norway

bounds, Heritage Malta has acknowledged

and expertise; establishing business goals

Grants, half of which have gone towards civil

and made good use of the tools that allow

and implementing business strategies that

works entailed in the project, with the other

it to reach out to a broader audience more

support a digital Heritage Malta.

half used for the setting up of the digitisation

than ever before. Our agency has embraced

studios.

digitisation, conscious of its remarkable

The Digitisation Department covers both

power to break cultural, economic and

tangible and intangible cultural heritage,

The major role of digitisation was highlighted

geographical barriers and to make our

thus facilitating the work of scholars and

during the months when the Covid-19

national collections accessible to both locals

researchers worldwide, while opening new

pandemic forced the agency first to close

and foreigners in the comfort of their homes.

possibilities to educators in every setting. The

its doors entirely to the public and later

digitisation of these assets is aimed at the

to restrict admissions and opening hours.

In its endeavours to be the national

protection, long-term storage and provision

During that period, Heritage Malta was

leader in digitisation and an active player

of wider access to our cultural content.

able to remain loyal to its mission by

on a European scale, Heritage Malta is

making cultural heritage accessible to the

implementing a strategic digital policy,

Well aware that its digitisation strategy is

public virtually through digitisation, thus

whereby it is endorsing and harnessing

a long-term strategic project that requires

transforming a difficult situation into an

the power of digital technology and new

significant financial and human resources,

exciting opportunity.

approaches in museology to increase access,

Heritage Malta is placing its digitisation

improve interpretation and create visitor-

programme at the very centre of its core and

More recently, our Digitisation Department

centric experiences. This plan ensures that

is sustaining it through different support

ensured a more intimate and enhanced

Heritage Malta remains a relevant, valid and

mechanisms.

encounter with the 13 Old Master paintings

leading national cultural heritage agency.

of the ‘Masterpieces at MUŻA’ exhibition,

Through its digital strategy, Heritage Malta

First and foremost, the national cultural

through a virtual tour which may be enjoyed

has moved digitisation from an activity

agency is investing in the Digitisation

even further with the use of a Virtual Reality

handled differently in each museum or site

Department staff through training and

headset.

to a single, central and integrated unit that

tools that enhance their competencies and

meets both the agency’s internal needs and

supplement their efforts with the knowledge

Digitisation has undoubtedly given birth

external expectations.

and skills offered by colleagues in related

to a new era and Heritage Malta will

organisations engaged in similar work. This

surely remain at the forefront as a catalyst

In line with this strategy, Heritage Malta –

is being achieved through close collaboration

for creativity and discovery, quenching

aided by the EEA (European Economic Area)

with academic institutions locally and

humanity’s yearning for knowledge through

Norwegian Grants – some months ago set

abroad.

the wonders of technology. Futouristic || 45

Prestigious International Universities Praise ITS and ITS Students

T

hroughout the past

Institute’s management is extremely

years, the Institute of

happy to collaborate with ITS as it is

Tourism Studies (ITS)

one of the international high calibre

has made a number

institutions in the field of tourism,

of agreements with

hospitality and related areas of studies.”

top international

Universities and Institutions. In 2017,

Haaga-Helia Vice President, Jouni

thanks to these collaborations, ITS

Ahonen, stated that “Haaga-Helia has

started offering its first level 6 Bachelor

been privileged to work with ITS for

Degree courses.

several years. ITS has always been dedicated to first-class hospitality

In collaboration with Institut Paul

education. We have become to know

Bocuse of Lyon, France, ITS offers the

ITS students as hard-working and

Bachelor Degree in Culinary Arts; and

professional. They have the skills,

the Bachelor Degree in International

knowledge and attitude to serve the

Hospitality Management is offered in

hospitality and tourism industry in Malta

collaboration with the Haaga-Helia

and all over the world.”

University of Applied Sciences, of Helsinki, Finland. In addition, in 2018,

The first ITS Master’s Degree students

the ITS launched its first Master’s

graduated during the graduation

Degree, the MBA in International

ceremony 2021, held on the 14th of

Hospitality Management which is offered

December 2021. For this occasion, EAHM

in academic affiliation with The Emirates

Managing Director, Jeroen Greven, was

Academy of Hospitality Management.

present and stated that “It has been a pleasure to work with an institution like

Chef Maxime Moise from Institut Paul

ITS, that is so dedicated to quality and

Bocuse (IPB) stated that “ITS students

so forward-thinking. We look forward

are among the best achievers during

to working together for many years to

their academic experience at IPB. The

come.

46 || Futouristic

Institut Paul Bocuse, Lyon, France

Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences, Helsinki, Finland Futouristic || 47

A Sense of Place: Photography Tour in Malta Image credit: Martin Bonnici

WORDS BY M ARTIN BONNICI

H ND

in

To u r i s t Gu i d i n g

E D I T E D BY DAV I D PAC E

48 || Futouristic

A

S tudent

research

lthough a “Sense

and the sensory impact this can have

concept of a sense of place. When talking

of Place” has

on the experience of it. He explores

about a sense of place, there is a more

different meanings

the way place can provide a “physical

cathartic feeling of spirituality expressed

to different

manifestation and better understanding

by individuals - that special feeling of

people, it can

of the relationships between residents,

becoming one with the location and/or the

easily be explored

their environment, their neighbours, and

surroundings. In comparable experiences

in a photography tour. The researcher

visitors.” A sense of place draws together

within historical settings, it can be argued

was looking to bridge the gap between

the social, cultural, historical, sensory, and

that this place gives a feeling of a point in

intangible feelings by turning them into

natural elements of a place (Larson, De

time when life was more uncomplicated

the tangible expression of photography.

Freitas & Hicks, 2013). Even though they

(Jepson & Sharpley, 2014).

are experienced on a personal level, when In the “Sense of Place Photography

these elements are encountered together,

Physical activity such as walking, will

Tour”, the group will learn how to

they create a shared experience and

foster a greater sense of intimacy in a

identify a location in such a way that

emotional connection.

given location. In the cultural tourism

they connect with it in an individually

context based on arts aesthetics, learning

meaningful way. The researcher set

Campo et al. (2014, p. 155) discuss the

on-site is a more valuable experience

out to explain a number of techniques

concept of “spirit of a locality” which

and it is more engaging for most groups

taking approximately 20 to 30 minutes

involves attachment, bonding and

travelling within any environment (Jepson

and subsequently, showing the group

ancestral connections in exploring the

& Sharpley, 2014). Exploring through the

a standard way of shooting to simplify

sense of place. A sense of place has a

visual art of photography whilst visiting

this process. Over the next four hours,

strong temporal aspect and many studies

locations will enable a group to connect

the researcher would spend individual

have explored the impact of time and

with a sense of place, and help in learning

time with each member of the group

history when discussing this concept

how to communicate what they see and

slowly revealing technical pointers and

(Campelo et al., 2014; Derrett, 2003). This

feel through their cameras and present

reaffirming techniques via repetitive

is particularly relevant to Malta as visitors

this to others.

methods and positive reinforcement.

feel that they can experience places from the past as well as enjoying the warmth

In the specific photographic context

“A Sense of Place Photography Tour”

of a modern coastal Mediterranean

of a tour, the group will create their

has to be like a tide that ebbs and flows

destination.

visual story and the sense of place

in a fluid motion. The idea is to help a

becomes their own. For example, does

group reach their innermost feelings and

Oren, Shani & Poria (2021) discuss the

the community in Mdina look similar in

interpret them into visual communication.

significance of cultural tourism and

comparison to a place of work at the

The student will be able to capture parts

note that there have been an increasing

Wignacourt Museum, or even on the

of a niche, destination, cultural and

number of visits to heritage sites since

outskirts of Rabat?

creative tourism expressing them via

the 1980’s. Malta offers a number of sites

photography.

rich in cultural tourism. When tourists visit

Each location has a dramatically different

a place like Vittoriosa (Birgu), they could

feel and function. The tours will occur in

WHAT IS A SENSE OF PLACE?

feel that they have trodden in the same

a relatively small area and yet the group

The idea of a “place” is a broad term which

footsteps as the Hospitaller Knights. It

will be walking through different spaces

can be described as the meanings held

draws them into the history of that area.

which demonstrate how much each

about a particular place and “how people

These sites offer a depth of emotional

community changes. Some communities

evaluate it based on those meanings”

attachment to the location whether it is

seem to have more resources, while

(Amsden, Stedman & Kruger, 2010, p.33).

a natural, built-up (urban), historical or

some work as custodians of a cultural

However, according to the literature, “a

museum setting. Thus, it can facilitate a

artistic history and yet others will be rural.

sense of place” is a much deeper concept

mutual experience that lends itself to a

These differences directly contribute to

which involves a range of experiences and

better understanding of place.

a vibrant tapestry of that sense of place,

emotions.

each strand and thread tell their own EXPLORING “A SENSE OF PLACE”

story. Amsden, Stedman & Kruger (2010)

Derrett (2003, p. 51) discusses the

In terms of historical and cultural

discuss the connection of community

strong emotional connection to a place

qualities, it is useful to examine the

through the interaction with others and Futouristic || 49

Rabat Street Image credit: Martin Bonnici

50 || Futouristic

walking tours with an experienced guide

tourism in various destinations, some

likely to partake in the “Sense of Place

helps foster this. A sense of place can be

issues of concern have been highlighted.

Photography Tour” in Malta.

forged through the many activities and

For example, Foxell and de Trafford (2010,

experiences in any given location.

p. 156) note that Malta, a country of 400,

AGE GROUPS

000 people can receive up to a million

Regarding age, the researcher wanted

ARCHITECTURAL SENSE OF PLACE

tourists per year, placing a strain on

to get an idea what age groups would

In Malta, historical buildings, street

infrastructure and fragile heritage sites.

be interested in the “Sense of Place

plans and the unique patterns they

These figures have increased substantially

Photography Tour” of Malta.

create add to the strong sense of place

since then. In considering this, questions

while modern buildings lack the same

must be asked about overcrowding and

The survey respondents revealed that the

charm and uniformity. In Mdina, local

the negative impact on a sense of place

age group from 35 to 44 (35.17 %) were

globigerina stone has been used to

this may have. In other Mediterranean

the most interested in doing the “Sense of

construct many buildings. This type of

destinations, tourism has taken over so

place photography” tour. The age groups

stone creates a particular feel, especially

much that local residents are increasingly

of 45 to 54 (22.07%) and 55 to 64 (17.93%)

in the morning and or the afternoon,

pushed out of the city which changes the

placed second and third probably due to

as the honey-coloured light falls on the

character of that area (Minoia, 2017).

a number of reasons including financial

buildings. Although there are a number of

and family stability. The survey was also

architectural differences, the stone with

The advantages and disadvantages of

its sandy tones help to set a mood. The

guided tours have also been explored.

Mdina palaces, some framed in baroque

Zillinger, Jonasson and Adolfsson

SOCIAL MEDIA

architecture decorated with the coats of

(2012) have discussed the herd-like and

When asking about social media, the

arms of various families, help to exude a

stereotyped image of guided tours.

researcher tried to determine which

unique atmosphere.

However, they acknowledge the benefits

platforms are most commonly used by

that guided tours provide, such as an

the respondents. Facebook was the most

As tourist groups walk through the main

introduction to an area as well as access

commonly used followed by Instagram.

gate in Mdina they feel a sense of history.

to the best or most interesting locations

Walking across the stone bridge to the

of a city within a short space of time.

baroque city gate is one thing, but seeing

shared on Facebook.

This indicates that participants engaging on social media, would share images from

the place where the old medieval gate

Cultural and niche tourism can assist in

the “Sense of Place Photography Tour”

used to be demands an explanation. Then

countering some of these problems. An

with some or all of the people within

walking through the richly decorated

experienced guide can assist in controlling

their group on social media. They may be

carved homage to Grand Master de

numbers and corral tourists to help them

proud of their images and promote the

Vilhena, is both regal and gives a sense

in obtaining the maximum benefit from

connection they feel to the area where

of importance to that specific location. As

their visit while protecting vulnerable

the tour was held.

the group pass through the city gate there

or fragile historic sites. Guides can also

are carved reliefs of legendary historical

introduce visitors to new locations and

The questions about Social Media

scenes, saints, and Latin inscriptions

suggest places to explore or visit outside

Platforms produced some interesting

(Ebejer, 2013).

the tour.

results. It revealed that an older audience

In a paper on cultural and creative

QUESTIONNAIRES

Instagram. It is likely that a number of

tourism in Portugal, Carvalho, Ferreira

The researcher made use of an

images from the tour would be shared on

and Figueira (2016) discuss the ways in

online questionnaire consisting of 14

these platforms. Facebook is generally

which creative tourism is also a form of

targeted questions to find out who

more personal and could include stories

cultural tourism. The researcher strongly

would be interested in taking such a

of travels and experiences.

believes that this will relate directly to the

tour. Information about the age and

Sense of Place Photography Tour.

demographic characteristics and the

Instagram tends to be more location and

was more likely to use Facebook and

profession of the interested participants

experience based with little or no story

DILEMMAS

were also recorded. The outcome of the

attached. The advantage of Instagram is

It is clear that the tourism sector brings a

questionnaire assisted the researcher

the high volume of uses for the platform.

number of benefits to Malta. In discussing

to ascertain the target demographic

In a lot of instances, connections on

a sense of place and the popularity of

and location of the audience most

Instagram tend to be outside of one’s Futouristic || 51

social circle.

aspects of life around them in any location

business tourists, several also looked for

and must think about what they want

the researcher knowing he is in Malta,

Of the platforms in the survey LinkedIn

to convey and how the final images will

revealing that they would also do his

tends to be the most conservative, it is

look. This style of tour and photography

workshop in Malta.

usually used for business purposes and

workshop is hands on and practical, and

images shared on this platform seem to be

needs to be done on location.

more business oriented.

PHONE OR CAMERA? Most survey participants (81%) indicated

WORKSHOP AND WALKING TOUR

that they take more photos with their

DO YOU LIKE PHOTOGRAPHY?

80.5% of the participants indicated that

phone. Although this is not surprising, the

As 93% of participants surveyed indicate

they would attend a workshop/walking

researcher feels that there could be a very

that they like photography it could mean

tour. In the experience of the researcher

good opening for tours aimed at phone

that the right kind of tour would be very

there needs to be a very delicate balance

photography. This is less about taking

popular. There will always be a lot of

between distance covered and the ease

photos for high-end purposes and more

variants such as overly hot days or wet

of the walking. If the tour is too long or

about capturing a location quickly and

weather. Most people on social media

strenuous, participants focus on being

effectively.

tend to share their photos. A good number

tired rather than learning.

of people find locations by seeing new locations on other people’s pages.

This type of photography can lead There are several options that could

tourists into trouble very quickly. In

be explored. Tours could be graded for

certain areas one is not allowed to take

The survey has also uncovered a number

beginners, intermediate and advanced

photos. For example, in an art exhibition,

of people that indicate that they do not like

learners. For example, Mdina and Rabat

photographing work can breach copyright.

photography. This was not a surprise.

are gentle on the feet and both are rich

Also, Photography can be banned for

locations for photographers and tourists

security reasons. In phone photography,

in general.

one needs to take into consideration the

WOULD YOU CONSIDER A PHOTO TOUR IN MALTA?

ethics and the rules about taking photos in

Question nine indicated that 81% of

Valletta could have an A and a B tour. The

participants surveyed would consider

B tour could circle the city exploring the

doing a photo tour in Malta. This opens

streets. The Valletta streets can be taxing

It is the experience of the researcher

possibilities to explore the various types of

in hot weather, people who are physically

that a very large number of people

photo tours that could be offered locally.

able would be more likely to attend such a

attend photography tours to access good

tour and photography workshop.

locations and learn how to photograph

SHOOT LIKE A PHOTOJOURNALIST?

public and private spaces.

them quickly.

This question indicates the openness

BUSINESS OR PERSONAL?

of survey participants in learning

Most survey participants (89.3%) indicated

TOUR DESCRIPTION

photography that the researcher

that they would do the “Sense of Place

The Sense of Place photography Tour

specialises in, both as a photojournalist

Photography Tour” for personal reasons.

is a four-hour long photography tour.

and also as someone who has been

In general, leisure is the most common

During this time, the group will explore a

conducting these type of photo tours for

reason for travel. However, business travel

combination of intangible, emotional and

over a decade outside of Malta.

is also a huge market.

visual connections to a place, learning photographic skills enabling them to

Photojournalism is about storytelling, this

In Melbourne, Australia, the researcher

express the elicited emotions in the form

works well for people in general. Learning

was conducting photography tours and

of digital visual images.

this craft is best done on site in various

workshops. At the end of each workshop

locations which is precisely what this

the researcher would hand out a short

During the tour, the researcher will

“Sense of Place Photography Tour” intends

questionnaire. Approximately 30% of

instruct the group on what to look for in

to do.

participants were in Melbourne for

their surroundings to assist them develop

business reasons. They had a short

a visual narrative. The locations will be the

Taking photos like a photojournalist is

period of time to do some sight-seeing,

Mdina Streets, the Wignacourt Museum

more than simply pointing and shooting.

so they came to the researcher to view

and the walk from the Wignacourt

Learners need to be open to take in all

and photograph sites of interest. Of these

Museum to the Buskett.

52 || Futouristic

Due to the terrain, the group will need to

around them. Such differences will show

observant and engaged, each member of

be physically mobile enough to cope when

up in the images that the group will take

the group will tap into their own subjective

walking on uneven ground. The researcher

with their cameras.

relationship to and complex study of

will conduct this tour in the morning to get

the area. This will need to be digested

the best quality of light. Even in overcast

As participants move through different

and processed relatively quickly so any

weather the light still has a special quality

environments, the attachments to a

member of the group can act fast to take

about it and may elicit different feelings

sense of place will fall into different

the photos they want. At times, a group

within the photographers.

categories. Some will have strong feelings

will take a photo because it feels right with

of connection to history, others will have

no other explanation needed and at other

The French baroque architecture of the

a physical attachment to the art and

times, the group will connect to something

Vilhena Palace really sets a visual tone.

for others it will be the influence of the

specific within a scene. Each of these

Mdina, like many places in Malta has

countryside. Because of the need to be

feelings are an equal and a valid connection

various piazzas and each one is different exuding a special character. As the group walks though the city of Mdina, the changes in locations will allow the participants to find different aspects of the medieval city. These changes are enough to keep them engaged for hours. When looking at the architecture between Mdina, the Wignacourt Museum and Saint Paul’s Grotto, there are numerous differences. Each of these will have a profound effect on the development of the sense of place for the group. The Wignacourt Museum was built at the end of the 1600s and early 1700’s and constructed to house the chaplains of the Order of Saint John to take care of the Saint Paul’s Grotto. The group will be using this space to shoot various interiors. The curios and art pieces housed within the facility will tell a story of their own. In this

St. Paul’s Grotto in Rabat Image credit: Martin Bonnici

space, the researcher will show the group the function of art and its relationship to the sense of place photography tour. Each painting and curio will speak to various members of the group in different ways. This is where the most interesting part of the sense of place plays out. In such a small area, items visually explored by the group will help express parts of the visual narrative. There will also be “Coats of Arms” and other historical identity marks, but they will differ from what the group has seen in Mdina. Each component has its own ambiance, and this will help group members connect to the space

Wignacourt Museum in Rabat Image credit: Martin Bonnici

Futouristic || 53

Image credit: Martin Bonnici

to a sense of place. Photos may produce a

Exploring the literature regarding a sense of

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

different feeling after each individual group

place has had an impact on the researcher.

The Sense of Place photo Tour has many

member has the time to look at and edit their

This will assist in guiding tours around

levels of potential. Such a tour will promote

images.

various locations and helping participants

Malta in a unique way. After conducting

take an opaque emotion and turn it into a

similar workshops in Melbourne Australia

In the Sense of Place Photography Tour of

tangible visual expression. This introduces

since 2006, the city experienced exposure

Malta, the group will produce a series of

the possibility for many different locations

from thousands of people that came

photos that can either stand alone or be

and variables within photography tours.

through the researcher’s business. This is

compiled to recount a specific story. That

invaluable to any city because such a tour

story will live with them as a memory of

It should be noted that most of the survey

can gain exposure through the eyes and

Malta, but also as a visual journey into their

questions focused on aspects of tourism

real experiences of photo tour participants

own version of a sense of place.

which are not connected to sense of place,

rather than through advertising. In addition,

and this is very important. If certain aspects

participants that joined the researcher’s tours

Some of the survey results were not

are not addressed in the planning phase,

in Melbourne, went to other tours and knew

regarded as surprising to the researcher.

such the level of interest shown by the

how to photograph each location properly.

In question 1 the most common age group

participants, what type of equipment they

was 35 to 44. This age group usually has the

have and how much walking they can do,

When the researcher moved to Malta, he

resources to travel and is young enough to

participants may find that the tour is too

offered photo walks to up to five participants.

tackle all types of terrain.

difficult and/or dislike the location for the

The emphasis was specifically on how to take

wrong reasons. This will distract them

photos like a photojournalist. It was not a

In question 14, 81% of questionnaire

from connecting to the locations they are

tour but a way to develop a technical skill in

participants indicated that they use their

touring. An evaluation after the course led

lovely surroundings.

phones to take photos. This opens the

the the researcher to add a question about

possibility to explore tours specifically aimed

connection to place and obtain more specific

The evolution of the photo tours in

at smart-phone photography.

information about the feeling of a sense of

Melbourne and the technical photo walks

place from tour participants directly. This

in Malta will be combined into the Sense of

may assist with planning tours in future.

Place photo tour. There is a constant balance

PHOTOGRAPHY TOURS IN MALTA 54 || Futouristic

of technical, historical and emotional

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for natural resources management

photography experience. Maintaining

International Seminar. Viewed on

and planning in the Great Barrier Reef,

professionalism is a key component.

22 October 2020. Retrieved from:

Australia. Journal of Environmental

One thing is certain. Malta offers many

https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/

Management, 117, pp.226-234. Viewed

unique locations and opportunities for

bitstream/123456789/14832/1/urban%20

on 23 November 2020. Retrieved from:

various versions of a Sense of Place

spaces%20in%20Valletta%20-%20

http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/

Photography Tour to flourish.

waterfronts%20seminar%20jul13%20 Futouristic || 55

S tudent

research

Do tourists who visit Malta expect traditional local food tasting to be included in guided tours, or is it just a nice add on? RESE ARCH BY DANIEL A AQUILINA

Higher National Diploma

in

To u r i s t Gu i d i n g

E D I T E D BY DAV I D PAC E

T

he concept of ‘food,

the tourism offering, and more specifically

included?

or culinary, tourism’,

the provision of guided tour products, has

defined by the World

traditionally been built on the premise of

Furthermore, when it comes to interpreting

Food Travel Association

visual experiences, around attractions,

the needs and preferences of these inbound

as “the act of travelling

with other aspects taking on diminished, or

tourists, are the Maltese tour-operators

for a taste of place

supporting, roles. This has meant that the

meeting these expectations?

in order to get a sense of place” (www.

provision of culinary aspects, in terms of the

worldfoodtravel.org) is undoubtedly a

overall tourist experience, has tended to be

Are they catering to the past or to the future

growing part of the global tourism story.

very niche.

of tourism?

Herrera, a senior lecturer in marketing at

However, times are changing and altering

As the owner of a local artisan business,

the University of Zaragoza, in the UNWTO

consumer expectations suggest a shift in

specialized in the production of traditional

Global report on Food Tourism, when

focus away from a visual bias to a more

Maltese food and chocolate, my vision is to

she said that ‘Gastronomic tourism is

immersive experience where hearing, touch,

marry the cultural and gastronomic aspects

an emerging phenomenon that is being

smell, and taste are just as important as

that Malta has to offer and create unique

developed as a new tourism product due,

sight. This is a view supported by Guzman

guided tour experiences that allow tourists

inter alia, to the fact that according to the

and Canizares (2012), who suggest that

to both witness and taste Malta’s history,

specialized literature (among others, Quan

tourists no longer want to have holidays

traditions and culture.

and Wang, 2004) over a third of tourist

that only stimulated them visually but want

spending is devoted to food. Therefore,

experiences that stimulate all their senses.

The underlying purpose of the question

the cuisine of the destination is an aspect

Applying this to the Maltese context, are we

being put forward, is to determine if

of utmost importance in the quality of the

seeing this perceived shift in focus?

the changes in tourist expectations and

This was echoed by Carmina Fandos

holiday experience”.

behaviours are significant enough to allow How much importance do inbound tourists

the transformation of the student’s ideas

While it is hard to deny the growing

to Malta give to local cuisine sampling when

into a sustainable business. The research

importance of food in driving the

booking guided tours?

is also intended to help understand the

expectations of tourists on a global level,

Is it a must, or just a nice thing to have this

demand, from inbound tourists to Malta, for

56 || Futouristic

S tudent

research

Photo Credit: Ofelia94 via Wikimedia Commons

cultural food tours as well as what is being

probability sampling questionnaire method

of the incoming tourist market in Malta

supplied in terms of a culinary experience.

was used, to target a larger amount of

was captured in the process, information

This will help to determine both the

people from different countries, age

on Inbound Tourism from the National

potential market size for such tours as well

groups and family orientations, with two

Statistics Office – Malta (NSO) was used as

as the feasibility of providing them.

different sets of questions being developed

a guideline. This information was limited

to better understand the demands from

to the year 2019 and was obtained from

On a micro level, the data gathered in

the incoming tourists as well as the supply

the NSO’s website (www.nso.gov.mt). It

researching the question will also provide

side aspects experienced by local tour

should be noted that the 2019 data was

useful information on the demographics

operators.

used because the effects of the Covid-19

of those who would have an interest

pandemic meant that 2020 was severely

in cultural food tours, as well as giving

The Tourist survey asked questions about

an indication as to whether they would

specific tourist experiences in Malta and the

be willing to spend to engage in such

general tourist preferences in relation to

According to the National Statistics Office

experiences, amongst other things. All

culinary experiences.

(release of the 3rd February 2021) 2019

this data will eventually contribute to the

limited in terms of tourist arrivals.

nearly 55% of inbound tourists to Malta

creation of unique experiences that are

The Tour Operator questionnaire consisted

(1,259,974) came from four European

designed around meeting and exceeding

of 9 questions and focused on two

countries; namely the UK, France, Italy

user expectations.

aspects: namely gathering data on the

and Germany. The UK, which has always

users of guided tour services in Malta and

had a strong connection to Malta due to

DATA COLLECTION PROCESS

their preferences in relation to culinary

historical influences, was the largest market

In obtaining the data to answer the

experiences.

with 23.6%, followed by Italy with 14.3%,

question, a determined sampling frame

France with 8.7% and Germany with 7.7%.

was chosen with potential end users of

Because of the questionnaires had to be

Therefore, considering this information,

culinary tours (tourists) and suppliers of

shared through social media (Facebook),

the sample focused on these four major

tours in Malta (local tour operators) being

in the form of Google forms, as physical

markets with respondents outside of

targeted. In aiming for a representative

interaction was not possible.

these markets being classed in an ‘Others’

sample of the potential market, the

In ensuring that a representative sample

category.

Futouristic || 57

RESEARCH ANALYSIS

destinations for the culinary offering while

30% booked the tours to see the local

A total of 105 people responded to

just under 84% said that they would be

attractions. About three quarters of

the Tourist questionnaire while 17

eager to try new food while they were on

respondents said that clients preferred

individuals/companies replied to the Tour

holiday. Despite these results, only 27.6%

mixed urban and rural tours

Operator survey. This meant that the

said that they had been on a culinary

targets for responses were both met and

tour while on holiday while around 75%

As far as culinary expectations are

exceeded.

of respondents were ready to pay for the

concerned 10 of the 17 respondents said

opportunity to add a traditional local food

that customers would sometimes request

Analysing the demographic data, nearly

tasting culinary tour experience to their

culinary tours with another 4 saying that

86% of those who responded to the

itinerary. Of those who were not ready

this was a more frequent occurrence.

tourist questionnaire were between

to pay extra for the chance to sample the

Nearly 60% of those surveyed felt that

the ages of 25 - 64, with more than 54%

local cuisine, just over half said that they

their clients do not expect food tasting

being in the ‘millennials’ category (25-

still expected it to be included in their

on their tours and over 88% charged any

44). When comparing our survey to the

tour. 56% of respondents mentioned

food tasting as part of their tour rather

NSO statistics (February 2021) we see a

a positive culinary experience as being

than offering it at a separate cost.

very strong correlation between the two

a reason to travel back to a particular

So, what can we deduce from this

with the NSO reporting that about 70%

destination highlighting the importance of

information?

of inbound visitors to Malta during the

food in the decision-making process.

period January to December 2019 fell

While more than 54% of those surveyed

within the 25-64 age group with the 24-44

On the other hand, the results of the

in our tourist questionnaire, and 40%

age category being the largest at about

tour operator survey suggest that most

of all incoming tourists to Malta in

40%.

tour operator customers (76.5%) were

2019, were in the 25-44-year age group,

between the ages of 45-64 with only

mainly millennials, the results of the

Furthermore, more than 80% of those

about 47% of clients being from Malta’s

tour operators survey suggest that this

surveyed identified as either being

four largest incoming tourist markets.

age group only accounted for about 12%

married or in a relationship. In terms of

Furthermore, just over 47% of customers

of the tour operator clientele, with the

nationality, just over 71% of those that

were identified as couples with another

bulk of tour operator clients being in the

responded were from the four major

47% identified as groups (others).

45-64-year-old category.

of respondents being from the UK, while

In terms of the most important factors

On the face of it, Millennials do not seem

around 29% were from other countries.

for customers in booking a tour, nearly

to be really interested in consuming

60% of tour operators felt that the clients

what the tour operators are selling. But

were after the experience while around

why is there such a lack of interest in the

Maltese incoming tourism markets, 54.3%

In terms of tourist experience of the Maltese market, just under half of respondents have visited Malta with only 38% of those having taken a guided tour of the Island. Of those who participated in a guided tour, just under 53% listed the desire to see tourist attractions as the primary reason for their decision with about 21% mentioning that their decision in taking the tour was mainly for the experience. More than 50% of those who did not take a guided tour when on the Island said that they preferred to explore alone. When questioned about their general preferences, in relation to culinary experience, nearly 60% responded that they would travel to certain holiday 58 || Futouristic

Would you travel to a certain holiday destination for its culinary offering?

Maltese guided tour offering, from this

group is still getting the most from its

may come to Malta on a shorter duration

group of people?

touristic experience but not through the

visit, as opposed to those coming from

The evidence collected suggests that the

tour operators.

longer haul destinations, thus they do not

younger generations are disinterested

The fact that the 25-44-year age group

have the time to participate guided tours

in ‘participating’ in activities that will

generally prefer to do things alone is

Other possible reasons may centre on

enhance their holiday experiences. In fact,

not surprising. In a world where the

demographics or economic circumstances.

Matthew Stone, an associate professor

younger generations are very tech savvy

at California State University, Chico, and

and where information is available at

So, if participation in experiencing a

lead WFTA researcher, suggests that

the touch of a button, it is more likely

place is not what is keeping the younger

“Millennials are more likely than older

that the person will research material

generations away from the guided tour

age groups to attend food festivals,

and be able to create their own touristic

market, the only plausible explanation

take cooking classes and participate in

experiences very effectively. In fact, we

that we are left with is that they are not

food/beverage tours while traveling”.

have seen this happen in other parts of

being stimulated by what they are being

Furthermore, this does not only extend

the tourism industry, such as the travel

offered. So is this a missed opportunity

to culinary activities. According to a study

agency business, where the viability of

for the tour operators?

conducted by the World Food Travel

that business model has been severely

Association (WFTA), culinary travelers are

impaired by the ability of end users to

If we go back to the results of our

more likely than others to visit historical

book tickets online from the comfort of

tour operator survey, we see that the

and cultural attractions, shop, take tours,

their own homes. This may also explain

respondents noted that, in their opinion,

attend concerts, go to sporting events etc.

why current tour operator clientele fall

nearly 88% of clients booked tours for,

This is further supported by the research.

within the older age brackets, i.e. 45+, as

either the ‘tour experience’ (59%) or for

Looking at the reasons why visitors did

they are more used to the ‘traditional’ way

the attractions (29%).

not go on a guided tour, 52% said that

of going on holiday; where everything is

they preferred to explore on their own

planned for them and where there is less

Knowing that these clients predominantly

while on holiday with only 12% mentioning

risk of things going wrong.

fall in the 45-64-year age group and that

cost as the principal factor. Knowing that

their expectation may be skewed towards

more than half of the tourists surveyed

Interestingly tour operators noted that

the more ‘traditional’ way of having

are in the 25-44 age category, it can safely

nearly 53% of their customers came from

holidays, which are more scripted and

be assumed that a significant number of

countries other than Malta’s four major

organised, it is no surprise that the visual

people in this age group prefer to make

European markets. While we would need

stimulation of visiting attractions plays

their own itinerary when exploring a

more data to understand why this is the

an important role in the decision to take

country rather than following a pre-set

case, one possible reason could be that

a tour in the first place. In fact, this result

experience. This suggests that the age

tourists from the major European hubs

is even more pronounced in the tourist survey where 53% of those who took a guided tour did so to see the attractions.

Do clients expect food tasting on their tours?

However, when it comes to user experience, things are not so clear. While the tour operators believe that the tourists are booking guided tours for the experience that such tours provide, the survey shows that only 21% of tourists that booked a tour in Malta identified this as being the primary motivator for making the booking. The reality is that ‘experience’ is a very broad concept. What may be a good, or fulfilling, experience for one set of people many not necessarily be a good experience for another group of people. Our research clearly highlights this. So, Futouristic || 59

“

Furthermore, the fact that 59% of the operators surveyed said that their clients do not expect food tasting on their tours while a significant portion of tourists said they did, shows that there is a mismatch between what the consumers actually want and what they are getting.

60 || Futouristic

”

while the tour operators may think

while the consumers are demanding

that that they provide an experience

these new types of experiences the

that all tourists will appreciate, what

industry hasn’t really mobilized to meet

they are doing is attracting a segment

the demand. Not that this is exclusively

of the population that is comfortable

an issue for the Maltese market. The fact

with the model being offered and losing

that more than 72% of tourists surveyed

another segment that is not; a case of

have never been on a culinary tour when

the supplier leading the consumer rather

on holiday suggests that this may be

than it being the other way around.

more of a global supply issue.

It is important to expand on the meaning

One possible reason why the tour guide

of the ‘traditional way of doing holidays’

industry is not adjusting its offerings

in Malta. Traditionally, the Maltese

to meet these changing demands from

tourism product revolved around its

the consumers is that they may not be

history, with the visual stimulation

picking up the signals that the market is

being the focal point of a tourist’s

sending. It seems like the industry still

experience; what Guzman and Canizares,

considers demand for things like food

referred to as the visual bias. The guided

tourism to be the exception rather than

tour industry was no different with its

the rule, a niche rather than mainstream.

offering usually taking the form of a rigid

This is further emphasized by the way

menu of packages that didn’t really leave

most tour operators will include a charge

much room for user customization.

for any food tasting on the tours as part of the total package even though

These tours tended to offer a

consumers are ready to pay extra for it.

combination of urban and rural experiences built to show off as much

Furthermore, the fact that 59% of the

of Malta’s diversity in a limited time

operators surveyed said that their clients

frame and centred on urban settings like

do not expect food tasting on their tours

Vittoriosa (Birgu), Mdina and Valletta,

while a significant portion of tourists said

cities with historic significance, as well

they did, shows that there is a mismatch

as rural locations in places like Buskett.

between what the consumers actually

If we look at what the tour operators

want and what they are getting. What the

are currently offering their clients, this

industry is saying today may make sense

still seems to be the default model with

in terms of the demographics of their

very few operators, such as Merill, Diar

current customer base, but they would

il-Bniet and Taste History by Heritage

be wise to remember that the 25-44-year

Malta, offering something different.

olds’ of today are the 45-64-year old’s of tomorrow.

In a way this is very surprising as a significant percentage of the tour

It is interesting to note that more than

operators surveyed admitted that there

56% of tourists surveyed mentioned

is demand from their customers for non-

that a positive culinary experience

visual offerings in the form of other more

would encourage them to go revisit the

immersive experiences, such as culinary

destination. This result is actually quite

tours. Furthermore, most of the tourists

significant for the development of the

surveyed indicated that they would

Maltese tourism industry.

travel to certain destinations for their

If the strategy is built to encourage

culinary offerings, are eager to try new

people to see Malta, the likelihood is

foods while on holiday and are ready to

that they will visit only once, to see the

pay extra to add a traditional local food

sights, but if the strategy is to encourage

tasting experience to their itinerary. So,

tourists to experience Malta, then there

is a greater chance that they will come

conclusions.

age category. To remain relevant, the

back. This view is echoed by several

guided tour industry needs to evolve

scholars such as Kozak and Rimmington,

From the research three main points have

to be attractive to all the age groups.

2000 and Operman, 2000.

been highlighted.

There needs to be a shift in the focus of the offering, from the ‘traditional’

CONCLUSION

The first is that while the data clearly

visual stimulation approach to one that

If we go back to our original question, i.e.

shows that there is Tourist demand for

allows the consumer a more immersive

“do tourists who visit Malta expect local

immersive experiences, such as food

experience that appeals to all senses. This

traditional food tasting to be included

tasting, to form a part of the overall

will not remove the need of traditional

in guided tours, or is it a nice add on?”, the simple answer, in terms of tourist response, is that it depends. For some, the expectation exists and is interwoven in the fulfilment of their touristic experience while for others it is just a nice add on. The fact that there is no

“

definitive answer is not surprising. After all we are trying to assess, and comment

holiday

To remain relevant, the guided tour industry needs to evolve to be attractive to all the age groups.

on, human behaviour, which

tours, but there will always be consumers who are looking for something specific, so it is a case of enhancing the offering rather than replacing it. While the traditional tour offerings have been popular with the mass tourism sector in the past, the habits of consumers are clearly changing and so must those of the guided tour industry. A small number of operators have started embracing a more modern approach although there is still a long way to go. Finally, in today’s world the

rarely leads to conclusive answers.

consumers, and especially the millennials

Any number of factors, such as

and younger generations, demand choice.

age, nationality, marital status, economic

We see it in every aspect of life, such as in

standing, and past experiences, will

that way people consume various forms

shape an individual’s expectations and

experience; the tour guide industry does

of media, and tourism is no different. The

experiences.

not appear to be supplying the tours

analysis suggests that a growing segment

that meet this demand. It seems that

of tourists who visit Malta want to be able

However, by answering the question

the guided tour industry still considers

to choose the outcomes of their holiday

from the point of view of the tour

things like food tasting as either niche or a

experiences and if they are not given

guides, in terms of how they interpret

supporting act to the maint event.

the choice they will go and explore by

what the tourists want, then we see

themselves. The traditional one size fits

that the research has revealed some

The analysis of the tourist preferences

all approach, that has been adopted by

very interesting insights; both in terms

does not suggest this, particularly

the guided tour industry for so long, is

of current practices as well as what the

regarding the under 45-year-olds. There

less likely to work as time goes on. This

guided tour industry needs to do to

seems to be a disconnect between what

also extends to the way that people pay

remain relevant in terms of the Maltese

the consumers want and what the industry

for their experiences. Our analysis clearly

tourism offering.

thinks the consumers want. To survive,

suggesting that tourists are happy to pay

the guided tour industry needs to start

extra for things that they enjoy doing

At this stage, it important to point out that

listening to its customers’ and the model

although the guided tour industry still

while our data sample size (105) may be

needs to move from being supplier-driven

seem to favour an all-inclusive price

small, especially when comparing tourists

to one that is consumer -driven.

approach. By offering the tourists ‘choice’,

surveyed to the entire Maltese incoming

the tour operators should be able to

tourist population, the responses obtained

Secondly, the current guided tour offering

open new opportunities, both in terms of

from the two questionnaires show some

clearly doesn’t appeal to everyone, with

customer engagement as well as revenue

very clear trends allowing some rational

consumers tending to be in the over 45s

generation. Futouristic || 61

62 || Futouristic

PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF

will remember and possibly return to at

15(1), 13-23. (Online) Available

CONCLUSIONS

some point in the future. It is these little

https://www.researchgate.net/

Having said all of this, how can I take the

add-ons that will transform the tour into

publication/233628785_A_Taste_of_Touris

lessons that have been learned from this

an experience.

m_Visitors’_Motivations_to_Attend_a_

research and apply them in the design

Food_Festival (Accessed April 2021)

and execution of relevant guided tour

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Futouristic || 63

ITS lecturer creates mobile app to teach about cocktails WORDS BY MARTIN DEBAT TIS TA

How do you respond as an educator to the

cards - 10 for itself and 10 for the player, and

for the technical development of the app

outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic when

an arrow will indicate whose turn it is to pick

game. He explained that “since it is a card

your practical classes are cancelled and you

a card. If the card is useful to create a recipe

game, it is very lightweight and therefore, the

can only meet them online? A game may

it will go to the side, and then the player

minimum specs are significantly less than

not be the first thing that comes to mind,

discards a card from your deck hand. The

those of the cheapest Android phone available

compared to the traiditional online meeting,

player needs to try to keep the right cards to

on the market. It can be played on an Android

online forum, and using a Virtual Learning

form a recipe, so that he uses all the cards.

tablet, but the cards will appear in the same

Environment.

Once the cards are finished the app will add

size as they would on a phone.”

the remaining cards in the hands of the losing ITS lecturer Richard Pons came up with the

player and whoever reaches 100 points will

The core logic of Bevicurious Rummy has been

idea of creating an educational game based

lose the game.”

developed in JavaScript, this part of the code

on rummy to train his students in the recall of

is responsible for moving the cards around

cocktail ingredients and recipes. Within a few

The students have received the game very

on the screen to their appropriate places. The

weeks of brainstorming, development and

well and there are plans to improve it with

app also makes use of CSS and HTML since it

testing, the game Bevicuious rummy was born

experience and feedback of the students.

is actually a website embedded in an app.

and made available as an app for Android.

“I have ideas for competitions related to this game during summer and during the

“I would like to say that it was an overall nice

“Playing games is never a waste of time if it

academic year we can organise a Bevicurious

learning experience to develop and launch

keeps your mind stimulated and active, and

rummy tournament on campus. The aim

this app on the Google Play Store apart from

as long as you spend the right amount of

remains the same: learning by having fun,”

setting up the website,” added Mr Scerri.

time. However, with this game you are playing

concluded Mr Pons.

and actually learning over 45 international

Bevicurious Rummy is available from the

cocktails,” explained to FutouristicsMr Pons.

Luke Bjorn Scerri, who is also interested in

Google Play Store, it is just 16MB to download

“Basically, the the app will deal 20 random

beverages and bartending, was responsible

and requires Android 4.4 and later.

64 || Futouristic

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