The Chamber of Small and Medium Enterprises has sent a message of congratulations to the Malta Labour Party for its “convincing” win in the local elections.

The GRTU also proposed an action plan to increase business on a local and regional level. Its first proposal was for fiscal measures to move certain back office centres to local level in order to facilitate matters for entrepreneurs who, at present, have to travel to centralised locations for these services.

The GRTU also said it expected incentives from the Malta Environment and Planning Authority to encourage developers to open office blocks and recreational centres in various areas, which might also attract tourists.

This, said the GRTU, must be done in conjunction with a drive by the Malta Tourism Authority to promote tourist attractions that are more off the beaten track and close to villages and towns around the islands.

The chamber also said it expected more fiscal incentives for households that take in foreign students in the summer, as well as schemes to encourage people who own empty houses to lease them out to tourists as a form of alternative accommodation.

Another proposal was to introduce measures that would encourage the opening of more cafeterias and other potential tourist magnets. The GRTU said it was ready to work hand-in-hand with all local councils to further these plans.