The Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association (MHRA) commended the Malta Police Force and the Malta Tourism Authority (MTA) for their swift and coordinated action following the recent anti-social behaviour by a group of foreign visitors, as reported in the media.

The Police acted immediately by identifying those responsible and issuing on-the-spot fines, while the MTA took equally decisive action against the licensed short-let operator after finding breaches of the applicable licence conditions, ordering the closure of the apartment block until full compliance is achieved. This sends a clear message that Malta will not tolerate anti-social behaviour or breaches of tourism regulations.

The MHRA also welcomed the close collaboration between Interior Minister Glenn Bedingfield and Tourism Minister Dr Jo Etienne Abela, demonstrating the importance of inter-ministerial cooperation in protecting residents, visitors and Malta's tourism reputation.

While welcoming these actions, the MHRA said it believes the incident also highlights the need to substantially increase the level of on-the-spot fines. Current penalties are too low to act as an effective deterrent against behaviour that disrupts communities and damages Malta's international reputation.

Malta welcomed the overwhelming majority of visitors who respect our country and contribute positively to our tourism industry. However, those who choose to disrespect Malta, its people and its laws must face firm enforcement and penalties that genuinely reflect the seriousness of their actions.

The MHRA said it looks forward to continuing its close collaboration with the Government, the Malta Police Force and the Malta Tourism Authority to ensure Malta remains a safe, respectful and high-quality destination.