Association for Catering Establishment’s Opinion on Tourist Arrivals in 2023

The Association for Catering Establishments (ACE) congratulates the Minister for Tourism and the top brass at Visit Malta on the record number of tourist arrivals in 2023.

The tourism industry has become the most lucrative revenue stream for the government and local economy alike. Taking a ride down memory lane, back in the 1970s our tourist arrivals capped at 170,800 visitors, more than five decades later we are almost at 3 million.

Malta has been promoting the ‘sun, sand and sea’ factor throughout these times, but the magic formula was targeting niche markets that would stimulate growth during the shoulder months, namely sports, religious, wine, and musical events tourism, creating a more even balance of tourist arrivals to our shores during the low season.

ACE believes that no matter how large our visiting numbers are or can become, the supply-demand scenario for the number of beds and eateries is too much.

The fact that in Malta and Gozo we have over 3,200 catering establishments may be excessive. We have one restaurant for every 164 population, and yet more are opening one next to the other.

ACE believes that the Skills Card agenda was a very positive measure, but the same theory should apply for anyone deciding to obtain a catering establishment license in the future.

ACE believes that the restaurant industry must have some kind of higher-level skills card for the actual operator or manager of the licensed restaurant, making sure that any new establishment maintains the high standard already achieved within the industry, and can provide quality to our growing number of tourists.

ACE believes that the restaurant industry has improved to very high standards as the variety of restaurant awards clearly outlines, and any new licenses should be incentivized to either maintain the standards already set by most in the industry.