Malta continues to celebrate rising tourist numbers as though quantity, by itself, is proof that the country's tourism strategy is working.

But perhaps it is time to ask a more uncomfortable question: what kind of tourists are we attracting?

Because while visitor numbers continue to rise, so too do the stories of unacceptable behaviour. Tourists urinating from buildings and in public places, throwing water at passers-by, damaging cars and other property, fighting in the streets and walking around public areas in a state of undress are becoming increasingly familiar stories. Last Sunday's disturbance in Paceville is one of the more serious incidents.

More than 400 tourists have already been fined for being "indecently dressed" in public this summer. St Julian's, Swieqi and Sliema account for more than three-quarters of them.

These are not insignificant figures. Nor should they simply be dismissed as the inevitable consequence of welcoming millions of visitors.

Malta, over the years, has unfortunately acquired a reputation as a destination where almost anything goes. We have encouraged mass tourism, embraced low-cost travel, and allowed the development of an events culture that too often prioritises numbers over quality.

Huge events attracting enormous crowds may look impressive in tourism statistics, but they can also contribute to a model in which Malta becomes synonymous with cheap entertainment, cheap accommodation and a cheap holiday.

That is not the kind of tourism a small, densely populated country should be pursuing.

The government now appears to recognise that there is a problem. Fines for inappropriate behaviour have been introduced or increased, while there is greater determination to regulate short-let accommodation and impose greater controls on activities that have contributed to the deterioration of some tourist areas.

These measures are welcome. There must be rules, and those rules must be enforced.

But they also raise a more fundamental question: are we trying to correct the consequences of a tourism model that we ourselves created?

It is difficult to sell Malta as a premium destination while simultaneously building a reputation for mass tourism and an anything-goes holiday culture. It is even more difficult to convince visitors to behave differently when the destination has spent years promoting itself on volume and affordability.

The answer cannot be to demonise tourists. Most visitors to Malta behave perfectly well, enjoy the country and respect its people and environment. But a tourism strategy must also consider the impact of the minority whose behaviour damages the experience for residents and other visitors.

Quality matters. A smaller number of visitors who spend more, stay longer, appreciate Malta's heritage and environment and behave responsibly may ultimately be more valuable than continually increasing visitor numbers at any cost.

The government therefore needs to be clearer about what it means when it says it wants to attract "better quality" tourists.

If that is genuinely the objective, then tourism policy must change accordingly - from the type of events Malta promotes, to the accommodation it permits, the experiences it markets, and the image it projects abroad.

The question is whether this change is happening quickly enough.

It may be possible to impose fines after years of tolerance. It may be possible to tighten regulations after allowing an industry to expand rapidly. But changing Malta's international reputation will be considerably harder.

Tourism success should not be measured simply by how many people arrive at the airport.

The more important question is what they leave behind - and what kind of country we become in the process.