Tourism Minister says Comino visitor cap can be revised if needed<\/p>\n
Tourism Minister Jo Etienne Abela has said the government’s 4,000-person daily visitor cap on Comino could be revised in the future if circumstances require, while insisting the current strategy for the island will remain in place.<\/p>\n
Replying to a parliamentary question by PL MP Ramona Attard, Abela said the cap was not fixed and could be lowered, increased or otherwise adjusted if necessary.<\/p>\n
“It is not something that can’t be revised,” Abela said. “If there is a need for this capping to be revised – whether lowered, increased or adjusted – we have no problem doing this as a government.”<\/p>\n
However, Abela stressed that he intends to continue implementing the strategy for Comino launched by his predecessor, Ian Borg.<\/p>\n
“I intend on sticking with the strategy,” he said, while adding that “4,000 is not a magic number that must be kept.”<\/p>\n
Abela argued that Comino had remained largely unregulated for decades despite being one of Malta’s most popular attractions for both tourists and residents. He said the visitor cap was introduced following extensive discussions with stakeholders over recent years.<\/p>\n
Abela also said the government’s broader tourism policy is shifting away from prioritising visitor growth towards improving the quality of the tourism product.<\/p>\n
Noting that Malta now welcomes more than four million tourists annually, he said attracting higher visitor numbers is no longer the country’s primary objective.<\/p>\n
“Since visitor numbers are no longer a concern, the government’s focus is shifting to quality,” he said.<\/p>\n