Gozo Business Chamber CEO says island’s economy has suffered greatly due to COVID-19

Daniel Borg, Chief Executive Officer of the Gozo Business Chamber, said the island’s double insularity has brought about great hardship for Gozo’s businesses and people in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Following the launch of the Chamber’s 2020 Annual Report, Mr Borg remarked, “2020 was a busy one for the Gozo Business Chamber, which not only saw the Chamber undertake its work in the presidency of INSULEUR (the Insular Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the European Union), but also dealt with the negative effects of the pandemic on Gozo’s economy and communities.”

The CEO stressed that “COVID-19 has impacted everyone, but the effects on Gozo’s economy have been greater. Due to Gozo’s double insularity, businesses face greater hardships, augmented by Gozo’s dependency on tourism.”

To this end, the Chamber has been working over the past year to raise the concerns of Gozitan businesses and people. “The pandemic has shown the need for Gozo to reduce its dependency on the tourism sector and look towards new sectors to diversify its economy. The past year has been intense for the Chamber, but a satisfactory one for everyone who worked with us.”

The Chamber is also reviewing its statute in an effort to improve its processes and operations, and focusing on creating an internal digital strategy in response to the needs of these current times.