VISTAS! Beautiful Mediterranean eco-island wins award

Gozo will become a beautiful eco-island by 2020, supported by a keen and committed sustainable community.

Gozo (Malta), previously awarded the QualityCoast Gold and now a VISTAS! award  is an island that cherished its traditional landscape, towns and local identity. It is strong in organic agriculture and in eco-education programs (Eco Gozo). It hosts the world’s oldest temples listed by UNESCO. Big efforts were made to restore its valleys and to create heritage trails.

In this nine by five mile sun blessed Mediterranean island, the enterprising visitor discovers unexpected surprises at every corner… from peaceful and well restored farmhouses in picturesque villages to five-star accommodation in any of the luxury hotels, …the close encounter with nature on land and sea, …friendly locals, …breathtaking dive sites at short driving distances from each other, …a mouth watering Mediterranean cuisine – and several heritage sites chief among which, the World Heritage Site of the Ggantija Temples, the oldest standing prehistoric structure on earth dating back over 5500 years …and the fortified town of the Citadel, also  of prehistoric origin. The Gozitan experience is truly unique for visitors and residents alike.

Gozo, or Ghawdex (Awdesch) as it is locally known, lies 25 minutes away by ferry from the most northern point of Malta, Cirkewwa Harbour. Gozo is the second largest island in the Maltese archipelago, measuring about one third the size of Malta, and is the home of around 30,000 inhabitants.  The island is known for its remarkable peculiarities: the pristine coastline and untouched country trails blend into the picturesque scenery; Baroque churches rise from the heart of small villages and traditional farmhouses dot the rural landscape.

Developed just enough to guarantee a sustainable economic activity, Gozo is a masterpiece wrought by nature and shaped through 7000 years of culture by a population which nurtured Calypso’s island into the beautiful place we know today. 

Based on the values of sustainability and the need to protect the natural environment of Gozo, the Government of Malta has now embarked on an ambitious yet achievable vision to transform Gozo into an eco-island.

Gozo will become an eco-island by 2020, supported by a keen and committed sustainable community. Its inhabitants want to see quality of life in Gozo improving further through education, economic development and social progress. Gozo will strive to reduce its carbon and water footprints protecting the Gozitan lifestyle, the island’s environment, resources, culture and identity, and see that all these play a significant part in attracting more visitors and investors to the island.

The eco-island foresees a sustainable, and therefore, a secure future for the island of Gozo.  It is a vision rooted in the island’s potential and the capabilities of its people.

EcoGozo is a vision for an island to become even more beautiful, inspiring, welcoming, thriving, inclusive and successful.  A healthy and successful place to live in, in equilibrium with the environment.  This is essentially what eco-island will strive to achieve.

The eco-island vision opens up to most sectors which determine life on the island and at the same time unites everything into one perspective and a common strategy.  The four main pillars of this strategy bring together the environmental challenges on the island, the economic aspirations of its people, the development of society, and the preservation of its cultural identity.

Since its inception, Gozitans are increasingly feeling ownership and responding positively to the eco-island proposals and initiatives launched. These include new ways of collecting and preserving rainwater, clean-up campaigns on land and in the sea and the drive towards renewable energy and energy-saving infrastructure.  While the eco-island initiatives being implemented in Gozo will mainly favour the lifestyle and well-being of its residents, Gozo as an eco-island will become more attractive for the tourism industry. Visitors who spend time in Gozo relish the beautiful countryside, the island’s rural character and rich cultural history, and experience the charm and hospitability of its people.

Progress cannot be stopped, nor slowed down, yet it can be directed in ways that render Gozo authentic.  The emphasis is not on ‘not doing’ but on ‘doing it well’.

Ultimately, the aspiration of turning Gozo into an eco-island seeks to enhance the island population’s quality of life. Gozo remains idyllic as a place to live in.  

Eco-Gozo builds on this and expands into areas such as sustainable economic development, the creation of quality jobs and the tapping of more specialized niches in tourism such as health-tourism, sport-tourism, cultural tourism and eco- and agri-tourism. Eco-Gozo revolves around people, generation bridging and development. In short, it looks into ways how locals can live a better life, and also how Gozo can be more attractive for foreigners to visit, live and invest in.

The pace of life is truly different on Gozo as the island is the place where myth and reality meet head-on. The island has still succeeded in retaining its dream-like qualities of traditions, peace and solitude. If Ulysses were to come here today, he would find it even harder to leave.

 Today, Gozo can certainly be considered as a holiday destination in its own right, as it has all these special distinctive characteristics which make it absolutely unique!

For more information, about GOZO visit also http://www.visitgozo.com

For more information about ECOGOZO visit http://www.ecogozo.com

For more information about the VISTAS! http://www.vistawards.com/

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