Under the theme “Malta Sabiha” (Malta is beautiful), this year’s Malta Hospitality Forum 2025, focused on the importance of enhancing the experience of visitors to the Maltese Islands, with discussions on several elements that make Malta more competitive and beloved as a destination.
The Forum, hosted by the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association (MHRA), in Qawra, was officially opened by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism Ian Borg.
Deputy Prime Minister Borg welcomed the theme of the Forum, underscoring the need to appreciate, preserve and celebrate the unique charm of the Maltese Islands.
“We still have challenges to overcome and areas to improve, but no one can deny that the beauty of the Malta experience continues to attract more visitors, year after year. Efforts to highlight the unique pull factors of our islands are in sync with our strategy, and we stand ready to support all stakeholders in this direction,” he said.
The Government is working towards a year-round tourism model which seeks to attract tourists to the destination for its best attributes, experiences and offers. Dr Borg explained that. “as we are proposing in the Malta Vision 2050, we are aiming for tourism which acts in harmony with the social and natural environments; tourism which respects landscapes, traditions, people and all those things which can be presented to our visitors as part of a genuine and unique experience. It is such aspects which attract the discerning, quality visitor, who would be willing to pay higher premiums.”
“All of this links directly with sustainability, as it places tourism and all that is worth safeguarding in Malta, Gozo and Comino within the same value chain. Thus, tourism increasingly becomes a supporter of those elements which not only distinguish us, but which we are also responsible to preserve for posterity. In this way, quality tourism and sustainable tourism become synonymous,” stated Dr Borg.
He also highlighted ongoing efforts to reinforce Malta’s mix of short and long-haul air connectivity services with new direct long-haul flights, as well as the Malta Tourism Authority’s increased marketing operations, with stronger overseas networks and highly targeted digital marketing initiatives.
File photo: Gozo News/Alain Salvary