July 20, 2024 – 5:51 PM
Gozo, part of the Maltese archipelago, is home to 39,000 people, just over 7 percent of the population. However, the island, known for its tranquility and natural beauty, is attracting more and more tourists, with 6.5 million people crossing the small island by ferry from Malta in 2023, a 15 percent increase compared to the previous year.
This has boosted economic growth, but activists say it has led to uncontrolled property development, with too much land being used at once, threatening the island’s beauty and unique atmosphere. In 2022 alone, 1,885 building permits were issued on Gozo. Yet more than half of the apartments built are empty or rented only seasonally.
The charm of small towns and fishing villages is disappearing, and even the island’s chamber of commerce has admitted that the situation is unsustainable. The construction minister has since announced that building facades must be made of typical Maltese limestone bricks to preserve Gozo’s village-like character. Last fall, local authorities presented a 10-year plan to turn Gozo into an island village.
The video was released as part of a collaboration between Telex and Arte.
