The MTA is stepping up efforts to combat unlicensed private accommodation but says its main aim is to improve the overall quality of the product offered and to ensure that Malta’s excellent reputation is not tarnished.

Out of the almost 2 million tourists that visited Malta in 2016, 31% stayed at private accommodation, which includes Airbnb type facilities. But the number of licensed private accommodation properties does not add up, meaning that the underground market is quite substantial, Tourism Minister Edward Zammit Lewis said today.

He was speaking during the launch of an information campaign aimed at informing private accommodation owners of their legal obligations and also the benefits they can enjoy when registering themselves. These include paying 15% tax instead of 35%, and having their property listed on the MTA website for free.  

Dr Zammit Lewis said the government’s efforts were two-pronged: to improve quality and to ensure that all operators are on a level playing field.

MTA CEO Paul Bugeja said there are currently around 4,000 accommodation licenses in Malta but Holiday Furnished Premises (HFP) private accommodation increased by more than 400 last year. There are some 2,700 registered HFPs but the authorities suspect that there are many others which are not covered by an MTA permit.

Because of the increase in this type of accommodation the MTA has set up a new directorate which carries out regular inspections to ensure that the industry is keeping high standards and also to root out unlicensed properties. A total of 670 registered HFPs were inspected last year.

During 2016 inspectors investigated 424 properties that were being advertised online but did not have a license. Legal action was taken in 77 cases. It was explained that the properties cannot always be traced because the websites might not include the addresses. Some places are found to be empty. Others might be a case of false alarm.

Enforcement Director Andre Zammit said that, in cases where tourists are found to be staying at unlicensed accommodation, the inspectors gather all relevant information, with minimal inconvenience to the clients, and the owners are then taken to court, where they face an administrative fine.

“Our main aim is not to punish but to bring these people in line with the law,” Mr Bugeja said, explaining that prosecuted individuals are also given the chance to regulate their position.

Mr Zammit said no establishments were closed down for being sub-standard, adding that the overall level of private accommodation establishments was very satisfactory.

He explained that 2016 has seen the largest number of enforcement actions so far but efforts will be stepped up this year.

Concluding, the Tourism Minister said the government expected all stakeholders, including hotels, to invest and improve their product. “We will not allow anyone to damage the country’s reputation.”

Dr Zammit Lewis also announced that the number of tourists who visited Malta was just 40,000 short of 2 million – the target set for 2017. He also announced that all laws related to tourism and travel will be revised to reflect present realities.