The Gozo Business Chamber has presented its proposals for the 2026 Budget, with the theme: Driving Diversification, Empowering People.

The proposals include among others to expand Mgarr Harbour infrastructure through land reclamation, integrated with future electrification needs. Also to expand the fast ferry service, particularly, the Chamber said, during peak periods and under-served time slots.

Also noted on the proposals is to establish a migrant workforce integration unit in Gozo offering “onboarding support, legal guidance, and language/cultural training.”

The Chamber said that these proposals reflect the its commitment “to promote a more resilient, competitive, and inclusive economy for Gozo, based on place-based evidence and stakeholder engagement.”

Based on the long-term vision of the Gozo Regional Development Strategy, and the latest Gozo Business Sentiment Survey results conducted jointly with the Gozo Regional Development Authority, the Chamber said its proposals “highlight both the economic opportunities and structural bottlenecks that continue to define Gozo’s development trajectory.”

In this context, the Chamber said it is presenting the following strategic proposals:

Targeted Proposals for Specific Sectors and Themes

1. Accessibility and Connectivity

• Expand Mgarr Harbour infrastructure through land reclamation, integrated with future electrification needs.

• Upgrade Gozo Channel operations by implementing maintenance planning, contingency measures, and scalable capacity.

• Ensure transparent governance of priority passes with quarterly reporting and oversight by an independent board.

• Expand the fast ferry service, particularly during peak periods and under-served time slots.

• Upgrade Cirkewwa terminal management through smart systems such as ANPR and digital queueing, aligned with the prevailing GDPR framework.

2. Economic Diversification and Digitalisation

• Transform the Gozo Innovation Hub into a dynamic Tech and Business Centre with modular workspaces and strategic partnerships (e.g. DIHub.mt, MDIA).

• Launch a Digitalisation Incentive Scheme offering 40-60% cashback on SME digital investments (web, bookings, automation, etc.).

• Introduce a Digital Audit Voucher Programme to assess and support digital readiness among Gozitan SMEs.

• Facilitate business internationalisation through specific support targeted toward the participation of Gozitan based enterprises in foreign trade fairs, and the establishment of a Valletta-based ‘Gozo Showcase’ networking space.

• Create a Gozo Enterprise One-Stop Hub within the Gozo Innovation Hub co-locating Malta Enterprise, MBR, and MFSA to support Gozo-based applications.

3. Human Capital and Workforce Development

• Establish a Migrant Workforce Integration Unit in Gozo offering onboarding support, legal guidance, and language/cultural training.

• Introduce sector-specific training at MCAST Gozo, including micro-credentials in AI, renewables, agri-tech, tourism-tech, and ICT.

• Expand Youth4Entrepreneurship Gozo into a full-fledged support framework with mentoring, seed funding, and prototyping.

4. Employee Wellbeing in Micro Enterprises

• Introduce a Gozo Micro Enterprise Wellbeing Support Scheme with annual support up to €3,000.

• Offer HR and wellbeing advisory sessions focused on small business realities.

• Distribute a Work-Life Balance Toolkit with templates, practices, and local examples.

• Launch awareness campaigns to promote wellbeing across Gozo’s business community.

5. Real Estate and Heritage Preservation

• Introduce fiscal incentives for long-term co-ownership transfers, enabling smoother internal transactions.

• Prioritise such schemes for properties of cultural or heritage significance, encouraging stewardship and architectural continuity.

The Gozo Business Chamber said that these proposals are designed “not only to address immediate operational issues but also to lay the groundwork for longer-term economic transformation.”

The Chamber concluded by saying that it “continues to advocate for policy solutions that reflect Gozo’s specific regional, geographic, demographic, and infrastructural realities, while aligning with national and EU-level strategies such as Envision 2050, the Twin Transition, and the Union of Skills.”

File photo: Gozo News/Alain Salvary

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