PRESENTATION OF BOOK ON TOURISM IN THE MEDITERRANEAN TO MINISTER KARMENU VELLA

The Minister of Tourism and the Self-Employed, Mr. Karmenu Vella was today presented with the book entitled Il Turismo nel Mediterraneo by the author of the book Mr. Agostino Spataro.

Mr. Spataro is a journalist, a Member of the Italian Parliament, Director of the Centre for Mediterranean Studies also forming part of the Presidency of the National Association for Italo-Arab Friendship. Mr. Spataro collaborates with the International Department of the Partito Democratico della Sinistra. He has published various books on the Mediterranean.

Mr. Agostino Spataro, during the presentation, told Minister Karmenu Vella that the book has been presented to the Commission of Tourism of  the Italian Parliament. This study, said Mr. Spataro, is the first of its kind, which focuses on tourism for the whole Mediterranean region, rather than the usual monographs which only consider individual countries.

Minister Karmenu Vella said that he believes in regional tourism, particularly that of the Mediterranean. Mr. Vella continued that this study provides very important statistics on a regional basis which up to now had been lacking. Mr. Spataro and Minister Vella agreed that the Mediterranean is unique, wherein a tourist can visit two different countries in the same geographical and climatic area which can nonetheless provide the tourist with different experiences of two worlds such as the Arab and European countries of the Mediterranean.

Minister Vella said that this study is one which will be useful to all organisations and enterprises which are interested in tourism in the Mediterranean including OMJET which is the Organisation of Mediterranean Tourism Journalists.