AGP Executive Report

Tourism Growth: Malta welcomed more visitors in the first nine months of 2026, with arrivals up 17% and tourist spending rising 13.9%. Hotel Expansion: Accor and Corinthia are bringing three Malta Verdi hotels into Accor’s Handwritten Collection from November, giving the properties access to its global booking and loyalty network. Travel Costs: From January 2027, Malta’s tourist tax will rise to €10 a night, alongside higher Gozo ferry fares for non-residents and a new Comino entry fee. Tourism groups have raised concerns about the budget’s impact on the sector. Heritage Tourism: Restoration of Queen Elizabeth II’s former home, Villa Guardamangia, is under way, but the €12 million project is expected to take around three years; no museum opening date has been set. Airport Advice: Ryanair will close airport bag drops 60 minutes before departure, up from 40, so passengers checking luggage should plan to arrive earlier.

Tourism Growth: Malta welcomed 17% more visitors in the first nine months of 2026, while tourist spending rose 13.9% to about €3.45 billion. More than two million visited Gozo and Comino, including day-trippers. Airport Update: Ryanair will close bag drop 60 minutes before departure, up from 40 minutes, so passengers checking luggage should plan extra time. Hotel News: Three Maltese Verdi hotels — in Gżira, St George’s Bay and Dragonara — are joining Accor’s Handwritten Collection from November, gaining access to its booking and loyalty network. Visitor Costs: Malta’s tourist tax is set to rise to €10 a night from January 2027, while new Gozo ferry fares and a Comino entry fee are also planned. Halloween Travel: A European spooky-destinations feature spotlights Malta’s tales of headless ghosts, offering a seasonal angle for visitors exploring the islands.

Hotel Investment: Accor and Corinthia are bringing three Malta hotels into Accor’s Handwritten Collection from November, giving them access to its global marketing and loyalty programmes. WTTC figures put tourism’s 2025 GDP growth at 16.8%, with members signalling about $2 billion in investment. Visitor Costs: From January 2027, Malta’s tourist eco-contribution rises to €10 a night; non-residents also face higher Gozo ferry fares and a new Comino entry fee. Tourism groups have warned the Budget lacks a clear way to channel tourism revenue into culture. Heritage Tourism: Villa Guardamangia, where Queen Elizabeth II lived as a newlywed, is undergoing a restoration expected to cost just over €12 million and take about three years. The planned museum remains closed, with no reopening date set. Cruise Travel: Cruise passengers fell 7% between July and September, a setback as Malta raises fees for cruise visitors.

Tourism Investment: Malta’s travel and tourism economy grew 16.8% in 2025, the fastest rate in Europe, and is forecast to contribute about $4.9 billion this year. WTTC members have pledged around $2 billion for accommodation, connectivity and visitor experiences. Heritage Travel: Ten former service personnel, including veterans who had experienced homelessness, helped conserve historic sites during a two-week Malta expedition. Villa Guardamangia, Queen Elizabeth II’s former home, is also being restored in a €12 million project, but no museum reopening date has been set. Hotel News: Accor’s Handwritten Collection will add three Verdi properties in Malta from November, giving the hotels access to its global booking and loyalty networks. Visitor Costs: From January 2027, Malta’s tourist tax is set to rise to €10 a night, while higher Gozo ferry fares for non-residents and a Comino entry fee are also planned. The hotel and tourism association has warned that Budget measures could undermine the industry.

Hotel Expansion: Accor and Corinthia are bringing three Malta Verdi hotels into Accor’s Handwritten Collection from November, giving the properties access to its global marketing and loyalty programmes. Tourism Costs: Budget 2027 raises the overnight tourist tax to €10 from January and introduces higher Gozo ferry fares for non-residents and a Comino entry fee. The MHRA warns the budget could undermine tourism. Cruise Trends: Malta welcomed 325,681 cruise passengers in July–September, down 7% year on year; 139 ships called at the port. Visitor Growth: Malta recorded an 18% rise in international arrivals in the first half of 2026, according to UN Tourism figures. Local Investment: Buddha-Bar Malta has opened following an investment of more than €6 million, bringing its dining and entertainment brand to the island. Community Benefits: A Malta-born initiative is urging hotels to invest in their host communities so tourism income brings social and cultural benefits to residents.

Hospitality Investment: Buddha-Bar Malta has opened after an investment of more than €6 million, adding an international dining and entertainment brand with about 250 seats. Visitor Costs: From January 2027, hotel guests will pay €8 per night and short-term rental guests €10, with caps of €64 and €80; cruise passengers disembarking for a visit will pay €10. The budget also raises Gozo ferry fares for non-residents and introduces a Comino entry fee. Cruise Trends: Malta received 325,681 cruise passengers from July to September, down 7% year on year. Tourism Workforce: First-time non-EU work-permit applicants must pay €250 for a pre-departure course, with extra certification requirements for some sectors, including tourism and hospitality. Community Benefits: A Malta-born initiative is urging hotels to invest in their host communities, while arts groups say the new visitor levy lacks a clear plan to direct funds to culture.

Tourism Growth: Malta recorded an 18% rise in international arrivals in the first half of 2026, the second-fastest increase in Europe after Moldova. Higher Visitor Costs: From January 2027, the nightly contribution will rise to €8 for hotel guests and €10 for short-term rentals. Non-resident Gozo ferry fares will also increase, and Comino visitors will pay a new €5 fee. Cruise Trends: Cruise passenger numbers fell 7% in the third quarter compared with a year earlier. Separately, MSC Opera guests received last-minute cancellation messages while the ship remained in dry dock in Valletta. Industry & Promotion: Malta’s hotel association warned that higher visitor and employment costs could hurt competitiveness, while VisitMalta has launched AI-powered training to help North American travel advisers sell the destination.

Visitor Growth: Malta recorded an 18% rise in international visitors in the first half of 2026, the second-highest increase in Europe after Moldova. Community Tourism: A Malta-founded initiative is urging hotels to invest in the communities that host them, aiming to ensure tourism benefits residents as well as businesses. Cruise Trends: Cruise passengers fell 7% year-on-year in the third quarter, to 325,681, despite almost the same number of ship calls. Higher Visitor Costs: From January 2027, the accommodation contribution will rise to €8 per night in hotels and €10 in short-term rentals, with new €10 charges for some cruise passengers, higher Gozo ferry fares for non-residents and a €5 Comino fee. The hotel association warns the increases could weaken Malta’s competitiveness; arts groups also want tourism revenue directed towards culture. Travel and Access: VisitMalta has added an AI assistant to help North American travel advisers promote the destination, while the government is discussing potential strategic partners for KM Malta Airlines.

Community Tourism: Malta-born PACT wants hotels to work with local groups so residents share more of tourism’s benefits. Cruise Trends: Cruise passengers fell 7% year-on-year in July–September to 325,681, despite almost unchanged ship visits. Culture Funding: MEIA welcomed the higher visitor contribution but criticised the lack of a plan to direct any of the revenue to culture. 2027 Visitor Charges: From January, accommodation contributions will rise to €8 a night in hotels and €10 in short lets; cruise passengers disembarking and reboarding in Malta will pay €10, while non-resident Gozo ferry fares will rise and Comino visitors will face a €5 charge. The hotel association warned the costs could weaken Malta’s price competitiveness. Air Links: The government is in preliminary talks with potential strategic partners for KM Malta Airlines, with no deal or preferred partner announced. Travel Trade: VisitMalta has launched an AI assistant to help North American travel advisers plan itineraries and promote the destination.

Budget 2027: From January 2027, Malta will raise the tourist accommodation contribution to €8 per night in hotels and €10 in short-let apartments, add a €10 fee for cruise passengers and charge non-residents more than double for the Gozo ferry, while Comino visitors will pay €5. Industry Reaction: The Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association warns the higher charges could hurt the country’s competitiveness; the Malta Chamber supports the tourism fees, while Gozo’s business chamber says their local impact needs careful review. Air Connectivity: KM Malta Airlines is in preliminary talks with several potential strategic partners, with no deal or preferred partner announced. Tourism Promotion: VisitMalta has added an AI assistant to its training platform for North American travel advisors, offering destination information and itinerary support. EasyJet holidays has also opened bookings for summer 2028, including Malta among 67 destinations.

Tourist Charges: Malta’s 2027 Budget raises the accommodation eco-contribution from 1 January to €8 per night for collective stays and €10 for short-let apartments, with caps of €64 and €80. A €10 charge is also planned for cruise passengers who disembark and reboard in Malta. Valletta’s Heritage: The mayor and Malta’s honorary consul to Bangladesh discussed promoting the capital’s history and using digital tools to help visitors explore its heritage. Travel Trade: VisitMalta has added an AI assistant to its North American travel-advisor training platform, offering destination information, itinerary help and marketing resources. Autumn Escapes: Malta placed 10th in a European ranking of destinations for avoiding the autumn cold, behind Lanzarote and Fuerteventura. Tourism Investment: The €350 million Hard Rock Hotel Malta project is planned with 400 rooms, restaurants and entertainment venues, and is expected to create hundreds of jobs. Culture on Show: Malta’s Junior Eurovision broadcast brought performers from 16 countries to Ta’ Qali, showcasing Maltese music and festa traditions to an international audience.

Screen Tourism: Gozo’s role as the French stand-in for The Madame Blanc Mysteries is drawing fans from around the world to filming locations such as Gharb. The cast and crew return to the island for three months each year, with season five now in production. Events and Culture: PBS was praised for bringing the Maltese festa to the Junior Eurovision stage at Ta’ Qali, welcoming performers from 16 countries. Malta’s Beppe Caruana finished seventh; Armenia won. Hotel Investment: Prime Minister Robert Abela visited the planned Hard Rock Hotel Malta, a €350 million project expected to include 400 rooms, restaurants and entertainment venues, and create hundreds of jobs. Getting Around: Sea transport between Malta and Gozo carried more than 2.1 million passengers in the third quarter. Travel Rules: ETIAS is expected to begin in early 2027 for visa-exempt visitors to Schengen countries, including Malta, but is not yet operating.

Europe Travel: ETIAS authorisation is expected to launch in early 2027 for visa-exempt visitors, including UK, US and Canadian travellers. It is not yet in operation, and no action is needed now. Events: Malta’s third Junior Eurovision hosting brought contestants from 16 countries and showcased local music, language and festa traditions; Malta’s Beppe Caruana placed seventh. Hotel Investment: Hard Rock Hotel Malta is a €350 million project featuring 400 rooms, dining and entertainment venues, and wellness facilities, with hundreds of jobs expected. Visitor Safety: A UK inquest ruled the 2025 fatal hotel balcony fall of holidaymaker Kieran Hughes in St Julian’s an accident; the case highlights the risks of alcohol and balconies. Gozo Links: Sea transport between Malta and Gozo carried more than 2.1 million passengers in the third quarter.

International Spotlight: Malta’s third Junior Eurovision hosting was praised by the EBU for bringing the festa spirit to a show featuring 16 countries; Maltese contestant Beppe Caruana finished seventh. Hotel Investment: A €350 million Hard Rock Hotel Malta development is planned with 400 rooms, restaurants, pools and wellness facilities, with officials highlighting new hospitality jobs. Getting Around: Sea links between Malta and Gozo carried more than 2.1 million passengers in the third quarter, underscoring the islands’ busy travel connection. Visitor Safety: A coroner ruled the 2025 death of Welsh holidaymaker Kieran Hughes, who fell from a St Julian’s hotel balcony, was accidental; the inquest heard he may not have known he was falling.

Flight Disruption: High winds in Scotland forced a Ryanair flight from Malta to Edinburgh to divert to Manchester, highlighting weather-related disruption for travellers. Hotel Investment: Prime Minister Robert Abela visited the planned Hard Rock Hotel Malta, a €350 million project featuring 400 rooms, restaurants and entertainment venues. Gozo Connections: Sea transport between Malta and Gozo carried more than 2.1 million passengers in the third quarter. Winter Routes: Vilnius Airport’s winter schedule includes flights to Malta, alongside other Mediterranean destinations. Wellness Escape: A feature spotlights Verdala Wellness Hotel near Rabat and Mdina as a quieter retreat, with a 1,500-square-metre spa.

Hotel Safety: A Welsh inquest ruled that 25-year-old Kieran Hughes’s fatal fall from a St Julian’s hotel balcony in July 2025 was accidental; the court heard he had been drinking before returning to his room. Hotel Investment: Prime Minister Robert Abela visited the planned €350 million Hard Rock Hotel Malta, which is set to offer 400 rooms, more than ten restaurants and bars, pools and wellness facilities, alongside hundreds of hospitality jobs. Air Links: Lithuania’s winter schedule includes flights from Vilnius to Malta, while the airport adds a weekly Geneva service from January. Getting Around: Sea transport between Malta and Gozo carried more than 2.1 million passengers in the third quarter. Wellness Breaks: A new feature spotlights Rabat and Mdina as quieter alternatives to busier resort areas, with Verdala Wellness Hotel offering a spa retreat.