The Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association (MHRA) refers to reports in the media that government is planning to freeze expenditure on several large infrastructural projects entirely funded by national funds.
Whereas MHRA recognizes Government’s challenges to save on expenditure as it continues to subsidise electricity and fuel costs, it is important that investment in the tourism sector is safeguarded in order to ensure that our economy remains sustainable.
Tourism’s cumulative contribution to our GDP is 25 per cent and accordingly this critical economic sector needs to be sustained through continuous recurrent and capital investment. This includes more investment in marketing, infrastructure, public cleanliness and maintenance, training and education, including the new Institute for Tourism Studies campus earmarked to be constructed at Smart City.
Tourism for the Maltese economy remains a very critical sector and we cannot afford that any international economic dynamic impacts negatively the further sustainable development of what is our economic lifeblood.