MTA carried out 24,564 inspections in past three years – minister

The Malta Tourism Authority carried out 24,564 inspections in the past three years, information tabled parliament shows.

Replying to a parliamentary question by Opposition MP Mario de Marco, Tourism Minister Clayton Bartolo provided figures on enforcement inspections carried out by MTA officials in the years 2021, 2022 and 2023.

The minister said the MTA is obliged to ensure that all those involved in the tourism sector adhere to the regulations provided by law, and uses an inspection system to asses standards and licensing.

The MTA carried out inspections for new applications to ensure that the applicant complies with all legal requirements before the license is issued. In the mentioned three years, a total of 3,703 inspections were conducted.

Inspections were carried out in several areas across the country, with the highest number in this category conducted in Malta's central zone in 2023.

Routine inspections were also conducted in tourism operations under the Enforcement Directorate. Over the three-year period, a total of 19,419 inspections were carried out. In 2023, full routine inspections were mostly carried out in the central area of Malta, followed by the south-eastern area of the country.

The minister stated the third category details inspections related to public complaints, with 1,442 inspections carried out.

Bartolo said in 2021, the MTA also conducted inspections related to COVID-19 measures.