Malta Tourism Authority staff stayed at Valletta hotels on more than one occasion when events were being held in the capital, the Tourism Ministry has confirmed.

Times of Malta reported earlier this month that MTA staff had booked rooms at the five-star Phoenicia Hotel so that they would be close to the Fairyland Christmas attraction. The newspaper said that plans were changed after questions were sent to Tourism Minister Clayton Bartolo.

The Malta Independent was later informed that this was not an isolated case. In fact, MTA staff had booked hotels when ‘offering logistical support’ during other events, including the BBC and Pete Tong concerts that took place on the Granaries this summer.

Replying to questions by this newsroom, a spokesperson for minister Bartolo said that, “the contractual agreements signed for these events by the MTA stipulate that a number of rooms have to be booked for the international staff and performers in hotels near to the event. Various hotels were used after a call for quotes. In this regard, the bookings being queried about are in line with these agreements.”

The spokesperson said that 170 rooms were booked at the Grand Hotel Excelsior, at a rate of €160-€180 per night, for foreign performers and staff. Another ten rooms were booked at the Phoenicia for €290.50/night.

MTA staff offering logistical support booked four rooms at Gomerino Hotel and two rooms at 66 St Paul’s for both events. The rooms cost €165 a night, but the ministry did not say how long the stays were.

The ministry also said that MTA staff are currently using one room at the Phoenicia, costing €140 a night, for logistical purposes. Another 43 rooms have been booked for foreign technical staff at the Hotel Falconeria, at €60 a night.

Fifty-eight rooms were booked for foreign performers at ST Hotels and Apartments for Cirque Du Soleil. For this event, no rooms were booked for MTA staff, the ministry said.