The Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association has welcomed the news that National Statistics Office figures for July show another record for tourist arrivals, number of nights spent in Malta and tourist spend.

The Association, the main lobby for the industry, said that without doubt this positive trend comes due to the combined efforts of all stakeholders including the Tourism Ministry, the MTA, Air Malta and low cost carriers, Malta International Airport and the private sector that is the motor powering this industry. Considering that Malta’s source markets are all experiencing economic turmoil, this achievement is considered to be even more positive and should act as a stimulus for further efforts in the coming months.

MHRA president Tony Zahra remarked: “These results do not come as a surprise to us and proves how right the MHRA was at the beginning of the year to call on its members not to succumb to pressure to reduce their room rates during the summer period.”

The association said it is now working with various government entities to ensure that the number of seats on offer for winter 2012/2013 will match those that were on offer in winter 2010/2011, when Malta experienced record arrivals during the winter months.

Mr Zahra said: “Accessibility is the key to success, as has been demonstrated by results, and we must therefore ensure that the seats are available”.

The MHRA also noted that the increased spend by tourists in Malta will no doubt come as welcome news to the Finance Minister, since it is estimated that a full 30 per cent of all the money spent in Malta will accrue to government in the form of one tax or another. Indeed, tourism is a major – if not the major – contributor to government finances. The association maintains that every single cent spent on tourism is a great investment for the government, as it returns handsomely to the government in the form of taxes.

Mr Zahra added: “The sustainability of the hotel industry is now a matter of urgency that needs to be tackled by the industry and the government. The MHRA has now been talking to the government for a long time, emphasising that it is necessary to address the issue of sustainability in the hotel industry to ensure continued success in this most important industry for Malta’s economy”.