Prime Minister Robert Abela and Minister for Tourism Jo Etienne Abela officially inaugurated the 4-star Innside by Meliá hotel in Buġibba. This is an investment of over €10 million and follows the private and public investments made in the locality in recent years. The hotel has 86 rooms and employs around 50 people.
During this visit, Dr Abela emphasised the importance of quality in tourism which attracts investment. He noted that this investment is led and made entirely by a Maltese family. He also noted that this investment, together with others in recent years, shows how much investors truly believe in a tourism product that offers comfort, quality and excellence. The Prime Minister said that this is also a sign of trust of local and international investors in the locality of St. Paul’s Bay itself.
Dr Abela said that the Government itself invested in Buġibba with a project that transformed Buġibba Square, the surrounding streets and even the promenade next to the square. “Because we believe in quality, we implemented a project that gave a completely new look to the heart of Buġibba, an investment that this tourist locality had not seen for years.”
Welcomed by the Agius family, the owners of this hotel, Dr Abela continued to say that the regeneration of the area is of benefit to residents and tourists who visit Buġibba and spend time or days of rest, while sending a clear message in favour of further improvement and more higher quality tourism. “In recent years we have seen local investors, such as the Agius family and even international ones opening hotels, regenerating them or otherwise opening establishments of a certain scope and quality in this locality”, said the Prime Minister.
Dr Abela said that despite the Government continuing to stress quality, tourist arrivals this year are equally positive, with almost 1.7 million tourists arriving in Malta between January and May. This is while figures published by the National Statistics Office show that in the first five months of the year tourists contributed almost €1.4 billion to Malta’s economy.
“The Government will continue to encourage such investment, which is of a quality and level that also works on better infrastructure, including that of transport. In fact, in May the Government began offering a fast ferry service between Sliema, Buġibba and Gozo in order to improve mobility, even for tourists while they are in Malta”, remarked the Prime Minister.
Dr Abela referred to the enforcement carried out in recent weeks and the legislation that introduced on the spot fines against inappropriate behaviour in public. He reminded that now the Government has taken another step, with the possibility of even expulsion from the country for those tourists who are given a fine of more than €200. This, he continued, is clear evidence of how seriously the Government is taking public order on the streets, especially in localities with a high concentration of tourists.
The Prime Minister concluded by thanking the Agius family for the trust they are showing in our country’s economy and for also being part of our country’s journey towards better quality tourists. He promised further support to families and individuals who, when investing, place quality at the heart of their operations.
Photo (OPM/DOI)
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