Malta welcomed the launch of the European Union Strategy for Sustainable Tourism during the Informal Council of European Tourism Ministers in Mullingar, Ireland, according to the Ministry for Tourism. Minister Jo Etienne Abela called for growth based on quality, sustainability and resilience, taking account of island member states’ particular challenges.
Abela said tourism competitiveness should be measured not only by visitor numbers but by the value visitors create for the economy, communities and visitor experience. “We must move from a model based on volume to one that prioritises quality, while protecting the natural and cultural assets that make the Maltese Islands a unique destination,” he said.
The minister stressed that air connectivity was essential to the economy and said future European initiatives should consider vulnerabilities linked to insularity and guarantee a level playing field. On European funding, he called for National and Regional Partnership Plans to retain national flexibility, allowing member states to choose investments according to their needs without additional administrative burdens or conditions.
Abela confirmed Malta’s willingness to work with European institutions and member states to strengthen European tourism’s competitiveness, sustainability and resilience.
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