Alan Arrigo welcomes new laws as ‘first step of many’ towards quality tourism

Alan Arrigo, Council Member of the Malta Chamber, welcomed the new tourism accommodation laws and they should be the “first of many steps” towards a higher-quality tourism model. 

Mr Arrigo tells MaltaCEOs.mt that the new laws, announced by Deputy Prime Minister Ian Borg this week, are aligned with the Chamber’s recent Rediscover to Align policy document, which lists several proposals to try and attract value over volume.

However, he stresses that raising accommodation standards alone won’t be enough to position Malta as a serious destination for quality tourism.

“This should only be the first step; to attract quality tourists, you can’t just change one link in the chain. Quality tourism is about accommodation but it’s also about destination management companies, agents, transport, restaurants and museums.”

“This is a good first step but the Government now needs to maintain this momentum and continue updating legislation, including the SPED (Strategic Plan for the Environment and Development), to achieve quality moving forward.”

Mr Arrigo points out that, when adjusted for inflation, the average spending per tourist has dropped in the last decade – from €919 in 2015 to €771 in 2025.

As such, he welcomed some of the new measures – such as the ban on new standalone hostels and the introduction of labels for boutique and luxury boutique hotels.

“The introduction of labels for boutique hotels means operators will now have to meet clear criteria to obtain them, rather than each doing things their own way,” he says.

“This will benefit tourists, as it provides reassurance that the accommodation meets established standards, backed by proper checks and balances.”

Mr Arrigo also welcomed the removal of a legal proviso that allowed hotels to build two extra floors, a policy that was proposed in the Chamber’s document. 

“The policy was launched when there weren’t enough beds and it worked for some time, but we now have an oversupply of beds so this incentive has become a speculative tool,” he says. 

As for the new rules governing short-let rentals, including guest caps, mandatory waste management plans, and 24/7 contact obligations, Mr Arrigo said enforcement by the authorities will be essential.

“A situation where not everyone is respecting the rules creates an uneven playing field,” he warns.