From those in the know: ‘We are expecting a very good year’ – MHRA President Tony Zahra 

Malta’s growth forecast may be on track, but business sentiment among CEOs and business leaders is divided for 2025. In the fourth part of this series, we zoom in on the views of Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association President Tony Zahra.

Leading hotelier and President of Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association (MHRA), Tony Zahra, predicts another strong year for tourism in 2025, with arrivals expected to exceed 3.2 million and spending surpassing €3 billion, following a positive post-pandemic rebound.

 “Given that airlines have reconfirmed capacity and new carriers are joining, we are expecting a very good year,” he notes. However, priority lies in capitalising on quality over quantity, he warns. “Malta continues to be a popular destination for many European source markets. 

However, with the country’s finite resources, we must ensure maximum returns from each tourist arrival. Other sectors, such as manufacturing and financial services, must also be able to withstand unknowns that could impact the tourism sector.” Zahra highlights opportunities in high-end boutique hotels, which are expected to attract high-spending tourists. 

“The tourism industry is evolving, and we are seeing many new hotels and boutique properties of a very high standard entering the market, which will hopefully translate into a higher-spending tourist,” he says. 

However, he cautions that larger tourist numbers will put pressure on local infrastructure unless the Government urgently implements a strategy as outlined in a MHRA-commissioned report. Global economic trends and challenges may also impact tourism, he continues. 

“The tourism industry is susceptible to geopolitical tensions and a flare-up of hostilities in the Middle East could have a significant impact on people travelling abroad.” Finally, Tony stresses the importance of positioning Malta as a top Mediterranean destination. 

“Product Malta must be at the forefront of Government investment to ensure that our offering is the best among the Mediterranean destinations.”

This forms part of a feature first published on Malta CEOs 2025, the sister print brand to MaltaCEOs.mt, both owned by Content House