Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association (MHRA) President Tony Zahra praised the new tourism accommodation laws and stressed they must be followed up by proper enforcement.
Mr Zahra tells MaltaCEOs.mt that the measures announced by Deputy Prime Minister Ian Borg and the Malta Tourism Authority this week were “timely and decisive”.
“If Malta truly believes in transforming its tourism model towards a higher-value, quality-driven approach, then decisions of this nature must be taken,” he says.
“MHRA has long been calling for this direction, and now that these decisions have been taken, we support them unequivocally.”
They introduce several new rules for short-term rentals, such as Airbnbs, which have exploded in popularity in recent years.
They will be capped at a maximum of two people per bedroom, up to a maximum of ten guests. Landlords will be obliged to install air conditioners as well as visible signage which includes the property’s MTA license number and the contact number of a person who is available 24/7.
These laws are part of a wider reform that includes a ban on new one and two star hotels, a partial ban on new hostels, and the scrapping of a proviso that allowed hotels to exceed their height limits.
Mr Zahra says the restriction on new one- and two-star hotels and independent hostels is the right move for Malta.
“It reflects the realities of carrying capacity already highlighted in the Deloitte study and signals a clear shift towards quality over volume,” he explains.
“The framework must be applied strictly and consistently to better manage accommodation supply and ensure that future growth supports Malta’s vision for higher-quality and value tourism.”
As for short-term lets, the MHRA President stresses the importance of enforcing these new laws.
“The framework must ensure that owners of short-term rentals are held fully accountable, treating these as commercial business operations with clear obligations towards the State and local communities,” he says.
“There must be no mixed signals. This direction must now continue through firm and consistent implementation across the sector.”
Main Image: Malta Hotels and Restaurant Association
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