Marie Avellino | University of Malta (original) (raw)

Papers by Marie Avellino

Research paper thumbnail of Education tourism : internationalisation and sustainability

Kite Publishing, Jul 1, 2020

is highly dependent on Tourism. According to the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), in 2019... more is highly dependent on Tourism. According to the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), in 2019 Travel and Tourism accounted for 15.8% of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and contributed Eurol887 million in visitor spend, comprising 9.6% of total national exports (WTTC, 2020). With such growth comes more responsibility in ensuring effective destination management that minimizes any adverse effect of tourism (Pololikashvili, 2019). This paper presents the case for Malta to further develop its touristic product by becoming a destination of choice for Education Tourism. Education (or Educational) Tourism may be defined as a type of tourism undertaken for the scope of learning or attaining an academic qualification. This may be seen as a broad concept and will be discussed later in this paper; however, it will also be argued that this type of tourism does deliver a high level of sustainability through the economic, social, cultural and environmental benefits it generates.

Research paper thumbnail of Socio-anthropomorphic strategies for competitive advantage

Malta is highly dependent on its tourism industry and recent years have witnessed stagnation in t... more Malta is highly dependent on its tourism industry and recent years have witnessed stagnation in tourist arrivals and foreign earnings. This paper aims at presenting an overview of socio-anthropomorphic strategies that have been employed (knowingly or otherwise) by family-run Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) who operate within the Educational Tourism (ET) sector, a sector that has been overshadowed by its sub-sector, the English Language Schools (ELT) niche. The study concludes that the culture of how the tourist product is sold or marketed, has to change, and this will call for a change or shift in the present culture or mentality. The results show that Malta is ideally situated as a hub for Educational Tourism. It can easily capitalise on its social and cultural capital to increase its economic capital and in so doing provides a space for enterprise and innovation. The sector has a high value-added component which makes it ideal for Malta; however it will also argue that the pot...

Research paper thumbnail of Cultural foodscapes of an island nation

Sourcing an argument put forward by Clifford Geertz, ‘Man is an animal suspended in webs of signi... more Sourcing an argument put forward by Clifford Geertz, ‘Man is an animal suspended in webs of significance he himself has spun,’ what applies for the individual applies no less, to the collective identity of a group or a nation. The series of symbolic and mythical mental representations activate a mind map that locates and maintains cultural meanings. The emphasis on what constitutes a nation and its culture, forms an integral part of the broader interest in defining identity. The construction of national identities has attracted increasing attention among researchers over the past four decades, generating a panoply of views on the theme and its permutations. This study continues the debate, focusing primarily on a Maltese case-study. An attempt will be made to explore those vectors that generate some of the meanings surrounding Maltese food and particularly the way in which food is used in shaping the wider meanings attached to Malteseness. Food carries with it an emotional baggage. It is a fantastic background for storytelling, an inspiration for the narrative of an individual, a group or a nation. Whether it is the result of an “imagined community” or “banal nationalism” or “cultural hybridity”, food and food culture is as well rooted in defining otherness. Among the reasons underlying food choices, such labels as “traditional”, “authentic” and “quality”, are today used interchangeably as blueprint terms to simplify an arguably rather complicated matter. Just as defining what constitutes a nation is in itself difficult to establish with precision, so also is the concept of a national culinary identity.peer-reviewe

Research paper thumbnail of A change process for the Tourism Undergraduate Programme of the University of Malta

Success in tourism depends on having tourism practitioners who are well prepared. The ITTC is ins... more Success in tourism depends on having tourism practitioners who are well prepared. The ITTC is instrumental in preparing Malta's tourism practitioners of the future. The ITTC prepares practitioners who will be able to work in tourism, culture and related industries. The Institute for Tourism, Travel and Culture (ITTC) has recently concluded the Periodic Programme Review (PPR) for the tourism studies undergraduate programme. In this brief report, we explain the process. We also highlight some of the main issues that emerged and explain how these were addressed. The thinking on PPR was guided by feedback and comments received. Consultations is an essential component. Consultations were held with ITTC academics, with students and with the industry. In the initial phases of the PPR process, the study-units were subdivided according to 'areas of study' as follows: A) Tourism Business and Management, B) Tourism Destination Management, C) Cultural and Heritage Tourism, D) Travel, Tourism and Hospitality, E) Structure of the tourism industry, F) Business and academic skills for tourism. CORE Metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk

Research paper thumbnail of Assessing Malta's overtourism

Managing events, festivals and the visitor economy: concepts, collaborations and cases, 2021

The aim of this chapter is twofold, namely (i) to present a literature review on the upsides and ... more The aim of this chapter is twofold, namely (i) to present a literature review on the upsides and downsides of tourism and its relevance to sustainable development in the context of overtourism; and (ii) to report on the results of a perception survey relating to the attitudes towards tourism in Malta, so as to consider whether Malta has reached the stage of 'overtourism'. The reason a perceptions survey approach was found appropriate for this chapter is that the exact point where overtourism sets in is difficult to measure objectively, for various reasons including that this possibility is not something static, has various dimensions, depends on the good or bad behaviour of the visitors, and varies according to the social and environmental policies and practices in the host destination.

Research paper thumbnail of An Enabling Framework for Telework

Employment and Training Corporation, Mar 31, 2005

Research paper thumbnail of A critical debate of the cultural and social effects of Valletta 2018 European Capital of Culture

Journal of Tourism and Cultural Change, 2020

The paper considers the hosting of the European Capital of Culture in Malta in 2018 in the light ... more The paper considers the hosting of the European Capital of Culture in Malta in 2018 in the light of the cultural and social effects on Malta's capital city, Valletta. Governance and impacts on Malta's tourism are also debated. The cultural sector was positively impacted with a varied and innovative programme. The expectations for Valletta 2018 was that the cultural scene in Malta would be taken to a much higher level. This did not happen largely because politicisation undermined the overall governance of the event. In the last two decades, ECoC was one of many projects and initiatives that brought about a process of Valletta's regeneration. There are concerns, however, that excessive commercialisation has reduced liveability.

Research paper thumbnail of Overtourism, Environmental Degradation and Governance in Small Islands with Special Reference to Malta

Research paper thumbnail of Encoding and Interpreting Neolithic Sites: World Heritage Temples in Malta

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage, 2020

Understanding and interpreting landscapes entails the encoding of symbols and deciphering of code... more Understanding and interpreting landscapes entails the encoding of symbols and deciphering of codes left on the palimpsest. Interpreting the Neolithic and more significantly Neolithic temple sites, is challenging and rife with contested meanings. The overall landscape is used by adherents of the New Religious Movements, on faithbased visits, and as an extension, spiritual fulfilment is sought in the Neolithic temples of Malta. The same landscape is then part of both the inner and outer pilgrimage in the context of not only the modern designer religions, but also of the established religions. This paper presents a case study of the Neolithic temple sites located in the Maltese Islands, which are significantly located at the centre of the Mediterranean Sea. The paper suggests that although these are shared spaces they are also contested space as the interpretation of these sites are firmly biased.

Research paper thumbnail of Overtourism Reached the Maltese Islands ?

Tourism is often considered as a desirable activity for the visitors, in terms of recreation, adv... more Tourism is often considered as a desirable activity for the visitors, in terms of recreation, adventure, cultural enhancement and other benefits of travel, and for the host community mostly in terms of the income and employment it generates. With improvements in income and decreases in the cost of travelling, tourism has increased rapidly over the past decades, and in many destinations, the host communities have started to experience the negative side of high rates of tourist inflows, mostly arising from overcrowding, traffic congestion, misbehaviour by visitors and damage to the physical environment. In 2017 and 2018 there were several reports in the media and papers in many academic journals describing the exasperation of the local residents with what became known as ‘overtourism’ – signifying that there are too many visitors to a particular destination at the same time. The objectives of this paper are two-fold, namely (a) to present a literature review on the upsides and downsid...

Research paper thumbnail of Has overtourism reached the Maltese Islands

Research paper thumbnail of Overtourism : its meaning and its impact on the host country

Research paper thumbnail of The Phoenician Cultural Route as a Framework for Intercultural Dialogue in Today’s Mediterranean: a Focus on Malta

This paper examines how the Phoenicians’ Route acts as a framework for intercultural dialogue in ... more This paper examines how the Phoenicians’ Route acts as a framework for intercultural dialogue in today’s Mediterranean. Particular reference is made to tourism in the region, with a focus on Malta. The paper refers to recent aspects of the route’s development in the field of intangible heritage. It focuses on those elements of intangible heritage that accompany, reveal and highlight the social relevance of heritage by highlighting the appreciation accorded by Mediterranean communities to artefacts, sites and monuments that are part of the route. It emphasises the educational and social elements of the actions supported by the route in relation to intercultural dialogue, looking at how this practice relates to other cultural manifestations. This paper pays special attention to the inter-relation between tourism activities and cultural expression in Malta, a recent member of the route. Furthermore, special attention is given to the annual Malta Mediterranean Literature Festival, in or...

Research paper thumbnail of 10. Branding a Nation-state after Half a Century of Independence: The Case of Malta

Research paper thumbnail of New Religious Movements as Target Audience at Malta Temples: a Challenge for Interpreters

Understanding and interpreting landscapes entails the encoding of symbols and deciphering of code... more Understanding and interpreting landscapes entails the encoding of symbols and deciphering of codes left on the palimpsest. Interpreting Neolithic and more significant Neolithic temple sites is challenging and rife with contested meanings. Landscape is used by adherents of the New Religious Movements, on a faith-based visit to Malta, as an extension of the spiritual fulfilment the Neolithic temples of Malta have to offer. The same landscape is then part of both the inner and outer pilgrimage in the context of not only the modern designer religions, but also of the established religions. This paper presents a case study of the Neolithic temple sites located in the Maltese Islands, which are significantly located at the centre of the Mediterranean Sea. The paper suggests that although these are shared spaces they are also a contested space as the interpretation of these sites are firmly biased.

Research paper thumbnail of Developing stakeholder markets for social tourism : key challenges for education and training : a European case study

Research paper thumbnail of Encoding and Interpreting Neolithic Sites: World Heritage Temples in Malta

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage, 2020

Understanding and interpreting landscapes entails the encoding of symbols and deciphering of code... more Understanding and interpreting landscapes entails the encoding of symbols and deciphering of codes left on the palimpsest. Interpreting the Neolithic and more significantly Neolithic temple sites, is challenging and rife with contested meanings. The overall landscape is used by adherents of the New Religious Movements, on faithbased visits, and as an extension, spiritual fulfilment is sought in the Neolithic temples of Malta. The same landscape is then part of both the inner and outer pilgrimage in the context of not only the modern designer religions, but also of the established religions. This paper presents a case study of the Neolithic temple sites located in the Maltese Islands, which are significantly located at the centre of the Mediterranean Sea. The paper suggests that although these are shared spaces they are also contested space as the interpretation of these sites are firmly biased.

Research paper thumbnail of The Maltese gift : tourist encounters with the self and the other in later life

This thesis takes a case study approach of the tourist-host encounter in the Maltese Islands, an ... more This thesis takes a case study approach of the tourist-host encounter in the Maltese Islands, an ex-British Colony and older British tourists (OBTs). OBTs are an important source market for tourism as this is set to grow in volume and propensity. The research investigates how OBTs negotiate identity and memory through their narratives. It does so by examining what is being transacted at a social, cultural and symbolic level between the Maltese and the OBT. It then enquires as to the extent the previous colonial relationship is influencing the present ex-colonial and neocolonial Anglo-Maltese tourist encounter. The ethnographic study employs a two-pronged strategy. The first interrogates the terms under which spatial and temporal dimensions of the cultural production of the post colony, and the ongoing representations of specific spaces and experiences, are circulated and interpreted by these tourists. The second examines the relationship through the ‘exchange lens' which is mani...

Research paper thumbnail of Managing Heritage Site Interpretation for Older Adult Visitors

Symphonya. Emerging Issues in Management

An increasing silver tourists market generates challenges and opportunities for tourist destinati... more An increasing silver tourists market generates challenges and opportunities for tourist destinations, heritage and tourist attractions that can be exploited by a professional interpretive experience which forges emotional and intellectual connections between the interests of the audience and the meanings inherent in the resource. In catering for senior visitors, managers of heritage sites at both the European as well at the global level, should not just focus on physical accessibility but also on the intellectual and socio-cultural needs of the older generations around the world. Heritage sites and museums are not necessarily simply spaces in which memories are reconstructed; they are settings where visitors come to negotiate cultural meanings.

Research paper thumbnail of A critical debate of the cultural and social effects of Valletta 2018 European Capital of Culture

Journal of Tourism and Cultural Change

The paper considers the hosting of the European Capital of Culture in Malta in 2018 in the light ... more The paper considers the hosting of the European Capital of Culture in Malta in 2018 in the light of the cultural and social effects on Malta's capital city, Valletta. Governance and impacts on Malta's tourism are also debated. The cultural sector was positively impacted with a varied and innovative programme. The expectations for Valletta 2018 was that the cultural scene in Malta would be taken to a much higher level. This did not happen largely because politicisation undermined the overall governance of the event. In the last two decades, ECoC was one of many projects and initiatives that brought about a process of Valletta's regeneration. There are concerns, however, that excessive commercialisation has reduced liveability.

Research paper thumbnail of Education tourism : internationalisation and sustainability

Kite Publishing, Jul 1, 2020

is highly dependent on Tourism. According to the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), in 2019... more is highly dependent on Tourism. According to the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), in 2019 Travel and Tourism accounted for 15.8% of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and contributed Eurol887 million in visitor spend, comprising 9.6% of total national exports (WTTC, 2020). With such growth comes more responsibility in ensuring effective destination management that minimizes any adverse effect of tourism (Pololikashvili, 2019). This paper presents the case for Malta to further develop its touristic product by becoming a destination of choice for Education Tourism. Education (or Educational) Tourism may be defined as a type of tourism undertaken for the scope of learning or attaining an academic qualification. This may be seen as a broad concept and will be discussed later in this paper; however, it will also be argued that this type of tourism does deliver a high level of sustainability through the economic, social, cultural and environmental benefits it generates.

Research paper thumbnail of Socio-anthropomorphic strategies for competitive advantage

Malta is highly dependent on its tourism industry and recent years have witnessed stagnation in t... more Malta is highly dependent on its tourism industry and recent years have witnessed stagnation in tourist arrivals and foreign earnings. This paper aims at presenting an overview of socio-anthropomorphic strategies that have been employed (knowingly or otherwise) by family-run Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) who operate within the Educational Tourism (ET) sector, a sector that has been overshadowed by its sub-sector, the English Language Schools (ELT) niche. The study concludes that the culture of how the tourist product is sold or marketed, has to change, and this will call for a change or shift in the present culture or mentality. The results show that Malta is ideally situated as a hub for Educational Tourism. It can easily capitalise on its social and cultural capital to increase its economic capital and in so doing provides a space for enterprise and innovation. The sector has a high value-added component which makes it ideal for Malta; however it will also argue that the pot...

Research paper thumbnail of Cultural foodscapes of an island nation

Sourcing an argument put forward by Clifford Geertz, ‘Man is an animal suspended in webs of signi... more Sourcing an argument put forward by Clifford Geertz, ‘Man is an animal suspended in webs of significance he himself has spun,’ what applies for the individual applies no less, to the collective identity of a group or a nation. The series of symbolic and mythical mental representations activate a mind map that locates and maintains cultural meanings. The emphasis on what constitutes a nation and its culture, forms an integral part of the broader interest in defining identity. The construction of national identities has attracted increasing attention among researchers over the past four decades, generating a panoply of views on the theme and its permutations. This study continues the debate, focusing primarily on a Maltese case-study. An attempt will be made to explore those vectors that generate some of the meanings surrounding Maltese food and particularly the way in which food is used in shaping the wider meanings attached to Malteseness. Food carries with it an emotional baggage. It is a fantastic background for storytelling, an inspiration for the narrative of an individual, a group or a nation. Whether it is the result of an “imagined community” or “banal nationalism” or “cultural hybridity”, food and food culture is as well rooted in defining otherness. Among the reasons underlying food choices, such labels as “traditional”, “authentic” and “quality”, are today used interchangeably as blueprint terms to simplify an arguably rather complicated matter. Just as defining what constitutes a nation is in itself difficult to establish with precision, so also is the concept of a national culinary identity.peer-reviewe

Research paper thumbnail of A change process for the Tourism Undergraduate Programme of the University of Malta

Success in tourism depends on having tourism practitioners who are well prepared. The ITTC is ins... more Success in tourism depends on having tourism practitioners who are well prepared. The ITTC is instrumental in preparing Malta's tourism practitioners of the future. The ITTC prepares practitioners who will be able to work in tourism, culture and related industries. The Institute for Tourism, Travel and Culture (ITTC) has recently concluded the Periodic Programme Review (PPR) for the tourism studies undergraduate programme. In this brief report, we explain the process. We also highlight some of the main issues that emerged and explain how these were addressed. The thinking on PPR was guided by feedback and comments received. Consultations is an essential component. Consultations were held with ITTC academics, with students and with the industry. In the initial phases of the PPR process, the study-units were subdivided according to 'areas of study' as follows: A) Tourism Business and Management, B) Tourism Destination Management, C) Cultural and Heritage Tourism, D) Travel, Tourism and Hospitality, E) Structure of the tourism industry, F) Business and academic skills for tourism. CORE Metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk

Research paper thumbnail of Assessing Malta's overtourism

Managing events, festivals and the visitor economy: concepts, collaborations and cases, 2021

The aim of this chapter is twofold, namely (i) to present a literature review on the upsides and ... more The aim of this chapter is twofold, namely (i) to present a literature review on the upsides and downsides of tourism and its relevance to sustainable development in the context of overtourism; and (ii) to report on the results of a perception survey relating to the attitudes towards tourism in Malta, so as to consider whether Malta has reached the stage of 'overtourism'. The reason a perceptions survey approach was found appropriate for this chapter is that the exact point where overtourism sets in is difficult to measure objectively, for various reasons including that this possibility is not something static, has various dimensions, depends on the good or bad behaviour of the visitors, and varies according to the social and environmental policies and practices in the host destination.

Research paper thumbnail of An Enabling Framework for Telework

Employment and Training Corporation, Mar 31, 2005

Research paper thumbnail of A critical debate of the cultural and social effects of Valletta 2018 European Capital of Culture

Journal of Tourism and Cultural Change, 2020

The paper considers the hosting of the European Capital of Culture in Malta in 2018 in the light ... more The paper considers the hosting of the European Capital of Culture in Malta in 2018 in the light of the cultural and social effects on Malta's capital city, Valletta. Governance and impacts on Malta's tourism are also debated. The cultural sector was positively impacted with a varied and innovative programme. The expectations for Valletta 2018 was that the cultural scene in Malta would be taken to a much higher level. This did not happen largely because politicisation undermined the overall governance of the event. In the last two decades, ECoC was one of many projects and initiatives that brought about a process of Valletta's regeneration. There are concerns, however, that excessive commercialisation has reduced liveability.

Research paper thumbnail of Overtourism, Environmental Degradation and Governance in Small Islands with Special Reference to Malta

Research paper thumbnail of Encoding and Interpreting Neolithic Sites: World Heritage Temples in Malta

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage, 2020

Understanding and interpreting landscapes entails the encoding of symbols and deciphering of code... more Understanding and interpreting landscapes entails the encoding of symbols and deciphering of codes left on the palimpsest. Interpreting the Neolithic and more significantly Neolithic temple sites, is challenging and rife with contested meanings. The overall landscape is used by adherents of the New Religious Movements, on faithbased visits, and as an extension, spiritual fulfilment is sought in the Neolithic temples of Malta. The same landscape is then part of both the inner and outer pilgrimage in the context of not only the modern designer religions, but also of the established religions. This paper presents a case study of the Neolithic temple sites located in the Maltese Islands, which are significantly located at the centre of the Mediterranean Sea. The paper suggests that although these are shared spaces they are also contested space as the interpretation of these sites are firmly biased.

Research paper thumbnail of Overtourism Reached the Maltese Islands ?

Tourism is often considered as a desirable activity for the visitors, in terms of recreation, adv... more Tourism is often considered as a desirable activity for the visitors, in terms of recreation, adventure, cultural enhancement and other benefits of travel, and for the host community mostly in terms of the income and employment it generates. With improvements in income and decreases in the cost of travelling, tourism has increased rapidly over the past decades, and in many destinations, the host communities have started to experience the negative side of high rates of tourist inflows, mostly arising from overcrowding, traffic congestion, misbehaviour by visitors and damage to the physical environment. In 2017 and 2018 there were several reports in the media and papers in many academic journals describing the exasperation of the local residents with what became known as ‘overtourism’ – signifying that there are too many visitors to a particular destination at the same time. The objectives of this paper are two-fold, namely (a) to present a literature review on the upsides and downsid...

Research paper thumbnail of Has overtourism reached the Maltese Islands

Research paper thumbnail of Overtourism : its meaning and its impact on the host country

Research paper thumbnail of The Phoenician Cultural Route as a Framework for Intercultural Dialogue in Today’s Mediterranean: a Focus on Malta

This paper examines how the Phoenicians’ Route acts as a framework for intercultural dialogue in ... more This paper examines how the Phoenicians’ Route acts as a framework for intercultural dialogue in today’s Mediterranean. Particular reference is made to tourism in the region, with a focus on Malta. The paper refers to recent aspects of the route’s development in the field of intangible heritage. It focuses on those elements of intangible heritage that accompany, reveal and highlight the social relevance of heritage by highlighting the appreciation accorded by Mediterranean communities to artefacts, sites and monuments that are part of the route. It emphasises the educational and social elements of the actions supported by the route in relation to intercultural dialogue, looking at how this practice relates to other cultural manifestations. This paper pays special attention to the inter-relation between tourism activities and cultural expression in Malta, a recent member of the route. Furthermore, special attention is given to the annual Malta Mediterranean Literature Festival, in or...

Research paper thumbnail of 10. Branding a Nation-state after Half a Century of Independence: The Case of Malta

Research paper thumbnail of New Religious Movements as Target Audience at Malta Temples: a Challenge for Interpreters

Understanding and interpreting landscapes entails the encoding of symbols and deciphering of code... more Understanding and interpreting landscapes entails the encoding of symbols and deciphering of codes left on the palimpsest. Interpreting Neolithic and more significant Neolithic temple sites is challenging and rife with contested meanings. Landscape is used by adherents of the New Religious Movements, on a faith-based visit to Malta, as an extension of the spiritual fulfilment the Neolithic temples of Malta have to offer. The same landscape is then part of both the inner and outer pilgrimage in the context of not only the modern designer religions, but also of the established religions. This paper presents a case study of the Neolithic temple sites located in the Maltese Islands, which are significantly located at the centre of the Mediterranean Sea. The paper suggests that although these are shared spaces they are also a contested space as the interpretation of these sites are firmly biased.

Research paper thumbnail of Developing stakeholder markets for social tourism : key challenges for education and training : a European case study

Research paper thumbnail of Encoding and Interpreting Neolithic Sites: World Heritage Temples in Malta

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage, 2020

Understanding and interpreting landscapes entails the encoding of symbols and deciphering of code... more Understanding and interpreting landscapes entails the encoding of symbols and deciphering of codes left on the palimpsest. Interpreting the Neolithic and more significantly Neolithic temple sites, is challenging and rife with contested meanings. The overall landscape is used by adherents of the New Religious Movements, on faithbased visits, and as an extension, spiritual fulfilment is sought in the Neolithic temples of Malta. The same landscape is then part of both the inner and outer pilgrimage in the context of not only the modern designer religions, but also of the established religions. This paper presents a case study of the Neolithic temple sites located in the Maltese Islands, which are significantly located at the centre of the Mediterranean Sea. The paper suggests that although these are shared spaces they are also contested space as the interpretation of these sites are firmly biased.

Research paper thumbnail of The Maltese gift : tourist encounters with the self and the other in later life

This thesis takes a case study approach of the tourist-host encounter in the Maltese Islands, an ... more This thesis takes a case study approach of the tourist-host encounter in the Maltese Islands, an ex-British Colony and older British tourists (OBTs). OBTs are an important source market for tourism as this is set to grow in volume and propensity. The research investigates how OBTs negotiate identity and memory through their narratives. It does so by examining what is being transacted at a social, cultural and symbolic level between the Maltese and the OBT. It then enquires as to the extent the previous colonial relationship is influencing the present ex-colonial and neocolonial Anglo-Maltese tourist encounter. The ethnographic study employs a two-pronged strategy. The first interrogates the terms under which spatial and temporal dimensions of the cultural production of the post colony, and the ongoing representations of specific spaces and experiences, are circulated and interpreted by these tourists. The second examines the relationship through the ‘exchange lens' which is mani...

Research paper thumbnail of Managing Heritage Site Interpretation for Older Adult Visitors

Symphonya. Emerging Issues in Management

An increasing silver tourists market generates challenges and opportunities for tourist destinati... more An increasing silver tourists market generates challenges and opportunities for tourist destinations, heritage and tourist attractions that can be exploited by a professional interpretive experience which forges emotional and intellectual connections between the interests of the audience and the meanings inherent in the resource. In catering for senior visitors, managers of heritage sites at both the European as well at the global level, should not just focus on physical accessibility but also on the intellectual and socio-cultural needs of the older generations around the world. Heritage sites and museums are not necessarily simply spaces in which memories are reconstructed; they are settings where visitors come to negotiate cultural meanings.

Research paper thumbnail of A critical debate of the cultural and social effects of Valletta 2018 European Capital of Culture

Journal of Tourism and Cultural Change

The paper considers the hosting of the European Capital of Culture in Malta in 2018 in the light ... more The paper considers the hosting of the European Capital of Culture in Malta in 2018 in the light of the cultural and social effects on Malta's capital city, Valletta. Governance and impacts on Malta's tourism are also debated. The cultural sector was positively impacted with a varied and innovative programme. The expectations for Valletta 2018 was that the cultural scene in Malta would be taken to a much higher level. This did not happen largely because politicisation undermined the overall governance of the event. In the last two decades, ECoC was one of many projects and initiatives that brought about a process of Valletta's regeneration. There are concerns, however, that excessive commercialisation has reduced liveability.