Quality Tourism at Dingli Cliffs
The tourist sector is a large and rapidly evolving economic sector bringing about socio-economic and also environmental changes. The Maltese Islands have often been regarded as appealing to the mass tourism sector, however economic growth must be seen hand in hand with an improvement in the value of the touristic product.
The Draft National Tourism Vision 2015-2030 recognises the role that sustainable development has in the safeguarding of the country’s attractiveness for the benefit of both tourists and locals. Since its inception in 2012, The Cliffs Interpretation Centre has focused on providing an informative and innovative tourist experience that highlights the environment, history and archaeology, gastronomic potential and the local produce that can be found along Dingli Cliffs.
Managing visitor numbers, Considering the issue of quality tourism and Reducing seasonality are the three guiding principles of the Draft National Tourism Vision 2015-2030. These have always been seen as crucial for the day-to-day running of The Cliffs Interpretation Centre, that of blending the environment, tourism and local aspects, whilst offering services to visitors arriving at Dingli Cliffs. The Cliffs Interpretation Centre in 2014 has also upgraded its innovative tour packages that provide an enjoyable and informative experience at Dingli Cliffs, with the input of authentic local personnel.
The winter months often present a financial pressure in the local tourist industry, however the tours offered by The Cliffs Interpretation Centre, as innovative means of communication, focuses on the off peak months, and hence provide not only economic but also environmental sustainability.
The Tourism Policy aims to decrease the dependency on summer mass tourism, whilst promoting Malta as a hub for active tourism, by which nature and culture are put to the forefront. Seeking new market segments during the off peak months is crucial. In fact, The Cliffs Interpretation Centre has also been factoring for the input of local Destination Management Companies and Travel Operators, who wish to formulate quality tourism services for their clients.
Since 2014, The Cliffs Interpretation Centre has put more importance on meeting numerous DMCs to delineate a way forward with providing an innovative tourist experience. Moreover, the Centre has been inviting representatives of DMCs to try out a familiarisation visit of the tours to that they gain a feeling of the highlights of the tours. The latest familiarisation visit was organised on Saturday 27th February 2016.
