An awareness campaign focusing on the importance of licensing in the tourist accommodation sector was launched today during a press conference held jointly by the Ministry for Tourism Malta and the Malta Tourism Authority.

During the launch, the Minister for Tourism Edward Zammit Lewis said that over the past year, 31% of tourists who visited the islands were accommodated in private accommodation, including apartments, villas, houses, and farmhouses, as well as host families or B&B accommodation.

Therefore, the Tourism Minister said that to ensure that tourists who choose this type of accommodation have an appropriate level of service, the Malta Tourism Authority (MTA) has undertaken a targeted action plan for this sector.

Over the last year, the Enforcement Directorate within the MTA began to inspect 835 premises in Gozo and Malta, from 2,700 that are licensed by the same authority. This means that 31% have been inspected. In Gozo, there had been 165 inspections.

These inspections, which in previous years had never taken place – although some places have been licensed for more than fifteen years, have been made to ensure that they are properly licensed and are up to standard.

In addition to the licensed premises, the Minister said that continuous monitoring is taking place to identify locations that are operated as holiday premises, without having the required license.

424 properties were investigated in Gozo and Malta, which last year were advertised on booking portals without being licensed, resulting in legal action being taken by the MTA against 77 operators. In Gozo, 137 properties were investigated, which resulted in 16 have legal action taken against them.

The Tourism Minister said that among the positive measures taken by the Government over the last year was that the income tax on properties that are licensed as holiday premises was reduced from 35% to 15 %., resulting in a rise in the number of applications for licenses for tourism accommodation from 315 to 686 – an increase of 118%.

Mr Paul Bugeja, Chief Executive of the Malta Tourism Authority, explained how the Authority is working to ensure that anyone operating any type of holiday accommodation is properly licensed.

“In addition to the recognition of the important work done by the Enforcement Directorate of Malta and Gozo, today we are launching an educational campaign about private accommodation in the tourist sector. Its main objective is to encourage anyone who offers this type of accommodation, to have them properly licensed. The campaign must also convey the message that each one of us can do our part by being sure that the property rented for holidays and offered to tourists, is one of quality,” he said.

Photograph: DOI/Pierre Sammut

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