An Open Letter on Gibraltar’s Tourism and Town-Centre Future

By Albert Freyone

I have read the Gibraltar Chamber of Commerce interview on tourism and transport priorities for 2026, and I agree with one obvious point, improved border fluidity will bring more people into Gibraltar. That much is beyond debate. What is far less certain, and far more important, is whether we are actually ready for them.

Footfall on its own does not create success. Experience does, engagement does, atmosphere does, and crucially, whether people feel compelled to stay, spend, and return. On that front, if we are being honest with ourselves, Gibraltar is currently falling short.

The uncomfortable truth, and I say this with regret, not pleasure, is that our town-centre experience feels tired. Main Street, particularly in the evenings, lacks energy, warmth, and invitation. It feels flat, predictable, and in a competitive world, predictability is not a strength.

We also need to stop pretending that “Main Street” is just one street. It never was.

It is an ecosystem, side streets, lanes, squares, and the Upper Town.

Treating it as a single strip has been one of our long-standing strategic blind spots.

The Upper Town, rich in heritage and authenticity, today feels forgotten, disconnected, and largely absent from the visitor experience.

That is not a lack of potential, it is a failure of vision.

What worries me most is not criticism itself, but complacency, apathy, being blinkered, and the refusal to recognise our own flaws. Denial is our biggest enemy.

In my opinion, we do not operate in isolation.

Our neighbouring border town of La Línea is becoming increasingly lively, particularly at night. Its energy, nightlife, and sense of movement are growing year by year.

In my opinion, if current trends continue, it will surpass us, not because it is perfect, but because it is evolving while we hesitate.

Our lighting, for example, is not cosmetic, it is psychological. It shapes mood, safety, and perception. A town that goes dark early sends the wrong message.

And if we are honest, our most recent Christmas lights decorations reflected exactly that, low ambition, low impact, and a standard that quietly signalled what we are prepared to accept.

Christmas should feel magical, immersive, and confident. What we projected instead was functional and forgettable, and that speaks volumes.

None of this requires grand slogans or endless reports. It requires clarity of vision, consistency, and standards.

We cannot out-mall Spanish malls, and we should stop trying.

Gibraltar’s strength lies elsewhere, character, walkability, intimacy, heritage, and curated experience. Quality over quantity, experience over volume, a sense of polish and confidence, not excess, the kind of quiet sparkle that makes people feel they are somewhere that cares about how it presents itself.

This matters now more than ever. With recent UK Treasury changes affecting the online gaming sector, Gibraltar faces an economic shift whether we like it or not. Over-reliance on one pillar has always been a risk. Diversification through tourism, town-centre life, and experience-led retail is no longer optional, it is urgent.

The Chamber of Commerce has existed since 1882, and these challenges did not emerge overnight. It is positive that they are now being discussed more openly.

But discussion must lead to delivery, with timelines, coordination, and visible action. Likewise, government must lead by example, setting the tone, the standards, and the direction. In my view, vision cannot live in silos.

There is also a strong case for structured collaboration, a space where all stakeholders move together rather than in parallel. When ownership is shared, accountability follows, and when accountability exists, momentum builds.

Ultimately, no treaty, no transport reform, and no increase in footfall will magically fix Main Street or the wider town if the product itself remains unchanged.

Without brightness, character, warmth, and experience, people will simply pass through.

This is not about blame. It is about honesty. And it is about recognising that in a fast-moving, competitive world, standing still is not neutral, what occurs is that we fall behind.

I hope these observations are received in the constructive spirit in which I have offered, and acted upon with the urgency, because the moment demands it.