Gozo’s historic Cittadella has been recently restored
Gozo means business
Malta’s second-biggest island is value-added, idyllic and focused on economic and environmental sustainability
Gozo has been one of the best performing eurozone economies for five years. It benefits from Malta’s growth in tertiary services and tourism, but its approach to investment attraction is focused on high-value niches fitting its development goals.
Gozo is idyllic. With 7,000 years of history, it is pursuing an ecological development brand for tourism and residential services that builds on its natural and architectural assets, and agricultural and marine traditions. Its unspoiled, inspiring and tranquil beauty provide the ideal getaway, while kayaking, climbing and diving are enjoyed for most of the year, thanks to its mild climate. Gozo is innovative and distinctive. It focuses on longer-stay tourists seeking immersive experiences and boutique accommodation. The recent restoration of the historic Cittadella is a shining example of sustainable regeneration. Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry are establishing a medical school in Gozo, and Steward Healthcare is developing a medical hub. Thynk Software and RS2 Software are examples of successful IT companies in Gozo that are connecting efficiently with the world. Gozo is connected. It is an hour from Malta International Airport and connectivity is being enhanced though investments in maritime, digital and road infrastructures. Gozo is well resourced. Its population is ambitious, well-educated and embraces modern industries. Businesses benefit from a vibrant ecosystem and favorable incentives, and a new entity for regional development will provide a further boost.
Gozo looks to the future with optimism, eager to forge partnerships with businesses that can grow in a way that is consistent with its long-term vision of a value-added and idyllic destination focused on economic and environmental sustainability.
Justyne Caruana, Minister for Gozo
Justyne Caruana, Minister for Gozo
The exquisite island of Gozo is building connections with the world’s tourists and businesses
Justyne Caruana, Minister for Gozo, explains how Malta’s second-largest island is developing sustainably.
PR: Half of Gozo’s gross domestic product depends on tourism. How are you promoting Gozo internationally? JC We are trying to promote Gozo as a distinct destination from Malta. Traditionally, people came to Malta and then by chance discovered Gozo. We are working to challenge this — and we are succeeding because people now want to come specifically to Gozo.
We are promoting Gozo’s distinctive package. If you take the time to look around, you will see the natural beauty of the area. Apart from its environmental attractions, we have a very strong cultural heritage; for example, the Megalithic is the world’s oldest prehistoric temple — much older than the
U.K.’s Stonehenge. Today, I am opening an exhibition, which includes a work by Salvatore Busuttil that is one of the finest artistic pieces on the island. We were very fortunate to acquire it for Gozo’s museum. There are various other attractions on the island that we are working to promote, such as Roman remains and a Phoenician shipwreck. In addition, Gozo faced a huge challenge — its tourism was restricted to the summer season. The ministry worked hard to change this by creating a year-round cultural calendar with numerous events and now there is tourism throughout the year.
PR: A mega project has been announced — building a tunnel to link Malta and Gozo. How will this contribute to growth?
JC: We are now in a position to establish timeframes for the project, which will be based around a seven-year program. At the moment, the connection is via ferry. When the tunnel is operational, we are expecting huge changes and the influx of visitors will increase greatly. There will be positive and negative impacts. One of the positives will be the mobility of our people but it will also increase vehicle traffic and our carbon footprint. We have already started work on preventing the negative byproducts of this. Part of our decarbonization strategy is to place a park-and-ride at the tunnel. This will use electric buses to move people once they have parked their vehicles and is in line with Gozo’s status as an ecological island.
PR: You have said there are not enough contractors in Gozo but there is increasing international interest. What incentives are there for businesses to set up in Gozo?
JC: Our government is very open and always just a phone call away. If a new business is opening or relocating here, we have business packages on offer. If you need to hire an employee, we will give you €6,000 to support you in this when you provide an employment contract for at least three years. This is just one way we encourage businesses to come to Gozo and employ local people. We are trying to turn the ministry into a one-stop shop. So, if you come here and you want to get things moving fast, you will not need to go from one place to another. In business, time is money, so we make business in Gozo worth your while.
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Publish date : 2024-12-31 16:00:00
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