Voluntary Organisation · VO/2694
One voice for Malta's licensed short lets.
We are the owners, operators and property managers who welcome visitors to Malta and Gozo every day. We work for fair rules, a level playing field and a sector the islands can be proud of.
- 8,748 licensed short lets across Malta and Gozo
- 1,612 of them in Gozo – 18% of the national total
- €10 eco-contribution per adult, per night in a short let from 1 January 2027
- 8 founding operators, one shared goal
Licence counts: figures tabled in Parliament, September 2026 (The Shift). Eco-contribution: Malta Budget 2027 (PwC Malta).
Who we are
Advocate. Inform. Raise standards.
The Short Term Rental Association Malta is a voluntary organisation formed by licensed operators. Short lets now host a large share of Malta's tourist nights, yet until now the sector had no voice of its own.
-
Advocate
We represent licensed hosts with government, the Malta Tourism Authority and the wider tourism industry, so that rules are written with the sector rather than for it.
-
Inform
We keep members up to date on licensing, the eco-contribution, taxation and the new EU short-term rental rules, in plain language and in good time.
-
Raise standards
We promote licensed, responsible hosting: good neighbours, safe properties and honest listings. Standards protect every member's reputation and Malta's.
Better tourism
We support a better Malta for visitors and residents.
We share the government's goal of raising the quality of tourism in Malta and Gozo. Our disagreement is not with the aim, but with a flat tax that treats a licensed holiday apartment as a worse neighbour than a hotel.
Our founding members have not waited for regulation. These are practical measures they already apply across their properties, at their own cost, to protect the communities they operate in.
-
Private rubbish collection
Members arrange and pay for their own waste collection, so guest rubbish does not sit on the pavement or add to the burden on local councils.
-
24/7 guest support
Every guest has a number to call at any hour. Problems are solved quickly, before they become a nuisance for neighbours or a bad review for Malta.
-
On-call security for disruptive guests
Noise and anti-social behaviour are dealt with on the spot. Members keep security on call and will end a stay rather than let one booking disturb a building.
Budget 2027 · Eco-contribution
Same island. Same guest. €2 more a night.
From 1 January 2027 the eco-contribution paid by guests rises from €1.50 to €8 a night in hotels and €10 a night in licensed short lets. A guest who chooses a holiday apartment will pay more than one who chooses a five-star hotel.
Both rates apply to guests aged 18 and over and are collected by the host on behalf of the Malta Tourism Authority, shown separately from the accommodation price.
In Barcelona, Rome and Greece the top rate is paid by luxury hotels. Malta's Budget reverses that principle.
Malta vs the Mediterranean
From one of the cheapest to one of the most expensive.
Malta competes with Spain, Italy, Greece, Croatia and Cyprus for the same couples and families. Today our tourist tax is among the lowest in the region. From January it will match Barcelona's, a city actively trying to reduce visitor numbers, and in winter it will be the highest of any winter-sun destination.
Summer: Malta joins the top of the table
Tourist tax per adult, per night, holiday apartment, peak season.
Winter: when our rivals cut their tax, Malta won't
Tourist tax alone for a couple spending seven nights in a holiday apartment this winter.
| Destination | Winter rate | Week for 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Malta 2027 | €10 per adult, all year | €140 |
| Dubrovnik | €1.85 per adult, Oct–Mar | €26 |
| Malta today | €1.50 per adult | €21 |
| Crete / Rhodes | €2 per apartment, Nov–Mar | €14 |
| Mallorca / Ibiza | €0.50 per adult + VAT, Nov–Apr | €8 |
| Cyprus | No tourist tax | €0 |
Visitors don't see a budget measure. They see a total price.
Same winter sun, same short flights, a much smaller bill somewhere else. Independent analysis puts the extra cost at around 5.4% of an average short-let trip (Spunt), before any change in behaviour. Every couple that books Crete or Cyprus instead is a week of work lost for Malta's cleaners, drivers, restaurants and shops.
Our position
What we are asking for
We support investment in Malta's tourism product. We ask that it is fair, transparent and planned with the sector that collects it.
-
Equal treatment
One rate for every tourist bed. A guest in a licensed short let should not pay more than a guest in a hotel.
-
Every euro accounted for
Eco-contribution revenue ring-fenced for visible tourism infrastructure, with annual public reporting.
-
A seat at the table
Consult licensed operators before the legal notice is issued, and on every future measure that affects the sector.
-
Clear transition rules
Certainty for bookings already confirmed for 2027, so hosts are not left absorbing a tax their guests never agreed to.
Our proposal
A fairer way: seasonal rates
Instead of a flat €10 all year, we propose €8 per adult per night in summer and €4 in winter. Greece already charges by season.
- Fills the quiet months. A lower winter rate supports year-round tourism and the jobs that depend on it.
- Keeps Malta competitive. Winter-sun rivals such as Greece, the Balearics and Cyprus charge little or nothing in the low season.
- Still funds infrastructure. Summer visitors pay the most, when pressure on the islands is highest.
Behind every licence is a local family's savings, a bank loan or a pension plan.
Founding members
Eight operators. One shared goal.
The association was founded by established short-let operators and property managers working across Malta and Gozo.
-
President
Franco Grech
Shortlets Malta & Luxury Villas International
-
Founding member
Robert Azzopardi
City Living
-
Founding member
Sam Zerafa
Valletta Collection
-
Founding member
Aaron Xuereb
Buena Vista Property Management
-
Founding member
Jeanluc Micallef
JL Group and Haven & Keys
-
Founding member
Sacha Romeo
S.F. Homes
-
Founding member
Ryan Seguna
GoBnB
-
Founding member
Bikram Arora
Zzzing
Membership
Licensed host? Stand with us.
Membership is open to MTA-licensed owners, operators and property managers in Malta and Gozo, whether you run one apartment or two hundred.
- A seat at the table. One collective voice with government, the MTA and the media.
- Timely updates. Licensing, eco-contribution, tax and EU rules explained before they bite.
- Shared standards. Practical guidance on compliance, safety and being a good neighbour.
- A network of peers. Operators who face the same regulations, platforms and guests you do.
Request membership
Tell us a little about your operation and a committee member will be in touch.