Malta Chamber backs new tourism accommodation regulations, seeks continued reforms

The Malta Chamber of Commerce has welcomed the Tourism Accommodation Regulations 2026 as an important first step toward improving visitor experience and better integrating tourism within local communities.

In a statement, the Chamber noted the consolidation of four legal frameworks into one as a positive move, alongside a new licensing approach that evaluates not only technical compliance but also value creation, visitor experience, and alignment with sustainability goals.

A legal notice was published on Wednesday laying out the new rules set to be introduced in June. A public consultation on the new rules was published last November.

The new reform will ban applications for new all-inclusive resorts, most hostels, and one- or two-star hotels, while simultaneously removing the controversial policy allowing hotel developments to exceed local plan height restrictions. 

The Chamber acknowledges the two-extra-floors policy allowance for hotels but stresses the need to update the Strategic Plan for the Environment and Development to better align planning, protect heritage, and enhance Malta’s rural and coastal landscapes.

The introduction of distinct accommodation categories reflects market diversity and helps raise standards, while “mandatory eco-certification for collective accommodations makes sustainability a core requirement, not just a marketing tool,” the Chamber said.

Stronger rules for short-term rentals, including stricter penalties for unlicensed operations, clearer host responsibilities, and licensing-linked waste management, “tackle issues communities, operators, and stakeholders have flagged for years,” it said.

These measures also align with the Chamber’s “Rediscover to Align” document and its 115 recommendations.

However, The Malta Chamber views current accommodation regulations as only the first step in a broader, necessary reform requiring simultaneous action on spatial planning, transport, workforce conditions, and operator licensing.

They urged the government to seize this momentum to implement the remaining "Rediscover to Align" proposals, aiming for improved resilience, higher visitor value, and a better quality of life for residents.