The government wants to attract aircraft leasing companies to Malta, Tourism Minister Edward Zammit Lewis told Parliament this evening, adding that the lucrative sector could create a number of high quality jobs.

Dr Zammit Lewis kicked off the debate on the Aircraft Registry Amendment Bill, saying that the government was also interested in the aircraft financing sector.

The Tourism Minister said the 2010 law on the aviation sector was a breakthrough but needed to be updated to keep up with an evolving sector.

He mentioned that the Malta Tourism Authority is working on establishing a National Aerospace Centre, which would provide training for the aviation industry. The ministry is working on obtaining EU funds for the project.

Turning to the National Air Traffic Service, Dr Zammit Lewis said 2013 profits had been doubled in 2015. He also spoke about the private jet sector, noting that Vista Jet recently announced its intention to invest another €100 million in Malta’s aviation sector.