malta tourism problems

Strategic Challenges

Departing from the current situation with the objective of reaching the objectives of this Tourism Strategy by 2030 is subject to the recognition of the Strategic Challenges being faced by the Maltese Tourism Industry.

The 13 Challenges listed below represent Strategic Challenges. The term “Strategic Challenges” refers to those pressures that exert a decisive influence on likelihood of future success. These challenges drive and affect the destination’s future competitive position relative to other providers of similar products. They are presented in order of precedence and importance as follows:

Rebuilding airline route network  

Enhancing the Visitor Experience  

Improving the Country’s General Appearance  

Integrating quality at all levels of the value chain  

Managing accommodation development  

Re-directing potential investment in bedstock, into other key areas  

Addressing the HR dimension and supply side requirements  

Increasing per capita spend  

Reviving sector profitability  

Recovering under sluggish conditions  

Minimising downward price spiral potential with resulting drops in rates  

Fostering cross collaboration across various digital tourism initiatives through the consolidation and better use of data  

Stronger integration of Sustainable Development Goals and the EU Green Deal

The Challenges in Detail

Rebuilding airline route network

Attracting a route network which serves Malta’s identified source markets, segments and connectivity needs. 

Exploring alliances with airlines to grow sustainably in line with the destination’s needs and growth demands. 

Following developments in the EU relating to aviation sector impacts on carbon emissions. 

Ensuring a healthy mix of airlines in line with the destination’s complex requirements through the servicing of routes by legacy and low-cost airlines, also giving due relevance to the importance of the national airline to a destination fully dependent on air transport for its tourism. 

The airline route network shall need to be rebuilt on the basis of a more holistic inter-relationship with other sources of tourism business to Malta which can generate the necessary demand to make routes viable.

Enhancing the Visitor Experience 

Contemporary tourism is Experiential in nature. It is not two-dimensional but requires that visitors feast all their senses.

Tourism interaction, particularly in niches including sports, faith, wellness and underwater activity, is participatory rather than in spectator fashion and this needs to be borne in mind in the design and planning of attractions, events and activities.

Mobile technology and social media enable immediate, live uploads of the good and the bad. The former needs to be maximised and the latter minimised. Providing tourists with opportunities to project Malta in a positive way assists the marketing effort. The role of influencers needs to be maximised.  

The Gastronomic experience needs to be further enriched through more sustainable practices, farm-to-fork concepts, locally sourced foodstuffs and a tangible link between tourism, agriculture, fisheries, food processors and eating places for the provision of authentic Maltese cuisine. Building further on brands such as Michelin and Gambero Rosso.

Prioritise and Invest in further development of key elements of the Product that are very influential on the tourist experience, such as access to the coast, beach development and other recreational facilities that need to be shared with the local community.

Factoring Corporate Social Responsibility principles into activities and events.  

Need for an expanded shopping experience: from designer goods to artisanal products.

Focus on promoting what is indigenous to our islands.

Maintain the safety reputation which is highly valued characteristic.

A stronger integration of environmental ethics within the tourism value chain. Cleanliness, aesthetics and efficient management of highly visited locations and sites need to be prioritised.

Enhancing the visitor experience is to apply to all components of the value chain as it only takes one negative component to spoil the rest of the chain. This calls for more cooperation between public, quasi-public and private organisations which need to work more closely together to give tourists a better experience.

Improving the Country’s General Appearance

Tourism activity is not limited to tourism resorts and visitor attractions but covers the entire territory.  

The tourists we attract mostly originate from countries where upkeep and maintenance are given top priority. This applies to the built, the natural and the marine environments.  General upkeep and maintenance need to be proactive rather than reactive. In the natural environment, upkeep and maintenance contribute to national biodiversity targets and measures.  

Standards in the levels of cleanliness, upkeep and maintenance need to be benchmarked at the highest level. Construction sites, in particular those in areas where tourists stay or visit, need to be managed in a way to level off negative impacts and discomfort.  

An improved general appearance strongly strengthens tourists’ positive evaluation of their holiday in Malta. The inverse also applies in perhaps an even stronger manner.  

Action needs to be taken to address certain high-profile eyesores negatively impacting tourists’ perception of Malta, through their identification, listing and discussing with public or private owners/operators on removal or relocation.  

This principle goes beyond the direct remit of Tourism and needs to be embraced by all other entities outside the direct tourism universe. 

The introduction of Smart Tourism management approaches to improve visitor experiences is pivotal to this.

Integrating quality at all levels of the value chain

Quality is not to be confused with luxury or high price Quality should prevail across the entire value chain. It is necessary to foster greater awareness amongst all stakeholders to embrace quality as the key to long term sustainability. Quality is rapidly becoming the decisive competitive instrument in tourism and therefore there is a need to ensure that Malta’s image is improved as a quality destination focusing on all aspects of Product Malta and adopt a process of nationwide qualitative change.  

Existing and New Operators not delivering or promising quality have no place in the revitalised Maltese tourism offer. A stronger Compliance and Enforcement deterrent approach will be needed to address this. To achieve this a top-level structure needs to be in place to oversee and ensure that the highest of standards are maintained across the country especially in highly visited areas.  

Support for continuous training, innovation and the introduction of new products that can ultimately deliver a qualitative and varied tourism experience. Segmenting the tourism product into niches creates a better focus on requirements and needs.

Managing accommodation development

The current tourism accommodation sector has become more complex due to a number of issues which need to be addressed through reforms and actions:

Legislation not reacting fast enough to constant evolution leading to anomalies.

Hybridisation: Two mutually exclusive supply streams (collective and private) which require different strategic approaches.

Accommodation is a primary facet of the destination’s brand, character and offer. It should therefore be the most carefully managed element of the entire value chain.

Accommodation sector expansion has responded strongly to the ten-year period of growth that ended in 2019. However some imbalances have developed:

• Progressive increases in Collective accommodation which are set to grow further. • The rapid expansion of private rented accommodation, which is nearing collective accommodation supply in terms of share. • The operation of peer-to-peer accommodation on a year-round basis. • Increased short-term dependence of accommodation developed for foreign workers which may be floated on the market for tourism purposes or mixed use until the workers return. This may also be impacted by expat workers currently teleworking from their home countries. • The substantial, year-round availability of unlicenced and unregulated private rented accommodation bed-stock which needs to be addressed. • Need to avoid the confusion resulting from the existence of official and operator-driven alternative classification systems.

Re-directing potential investment in bedstock, into other key areas

• Investment in tourism products, facilities and attractions provides alternative opportunities to investors who look at accommodation investment as the only way to enter the industry. Key investment opportunities exist in upgrading existing tourism supply and the introduction of novel products and experiences including in areas off the beaten path. Look for opportunities that may exist for PPP projects for the development of new products in line with market demands.

• There needs to be a better balance between investing in new receptive capacity, enhancing existing plant and introducing new products.

• The ultimate objective is to increase tourism expenditure through the availability of an increased range of enhanced products and services which require capital and investment.

Addressing the HR dimension

The relationship between Industry HR and hospitality, service delivery and skill gaps. Delivering service quality means going beyond the delivering of the bare minimum of expected service. Talented employees have moved on to other sectors and there is a risk of a profound talent gap which needs to be addressed through joint initiatives between the private and public sectors.  

Need for the continuation of tourism employee training schemes to further build on the momentum of the extensive training opportunities introduced during the COVID-19 period through the allocation of adequate training budgets and associated resources.  

Ensuring that a career in tourism scores high in the wish list of new entrants into the labour market.  

Addressing the issue of foreign labour as a substitute to domestic shortfalls.  

Improving the attractiveness of tourism employment through the provision of quality service training which instils pride in working for the hospitality industry, improved remuneration and career progression. Leading a process of converting payroll from a cost to an investment.  

Working closely with educational institutions like ITS, University of Malta, MCAST and JOBS-Plus amongst others to draw a successful Human Resource Development Strategy for the tourism sector.  

Increasing per capita spend

Net per capita spend by tourists needs to increase in reaction to an improved quality experience and offer.

Focus on increasing expenditure in those elements which are consumed within the destination.  

Evaluate and identify the market segments that have added value to substitute under-performing markets.

Increasing tourism expenditure should not be due solely to higher prices but also to more extensive expenditure opportunities in experiences, goods and services which leave higher value added.  

Per capita spend needs to increase at a faster rate than tourist numbers and overnights so that Malta will be able to generate higher per capita per night injections from its tourism. Revenues shall need to be offset against costs.

Reviving sector profitability

Malta needs to address the widening mismatch between its receptive capacity and the ideal numbers it should seek to attract.

The provision of Value is linked to the delivery of a Quality Service. The industry should have no place for operators delivering low levels of quality services. This needs to be identified sub-sector by sub-sector. 

Avoidance of price-wars. Securing market growth against heightened competition by competing destinations to meet increased supply. 

Meeting human resource challenges.

Recovering under Sluggish Conditions

Understanding and reacting to the factors which shall influence tourism recovery. The faster integration of quality in the offer will accelerate recovery. 

Prioritising recovery on the basis of such understanding.

Communicating prospects to operators and investors in an informed and realistic manner to ensure that new operations are built on strong foundations and supporting through the creation of long-term incentives. 

Ensuring that our product offer remains fresh and updated and avoiding the pitfalls associated with a tired product.  

Minimising downward price spiral potential

A combination of over-capacity and reduced visitor numbers  may lead to a downward pricing spiral which is ultimately detrimental to operations, quality and investment. Need to retain a sustainable pricing model. Need to introduce steps aimed at controlling and limiting over-development to avoid the generation of excess supply. Need to ensure that accommodation development does not dictate market demands.  

Ensuring a level playing field for all operators in the sector. 

Risk of price wars will need to be addressed through a twopronged approach which maximises demand potential while channelling demand to licenced bed-stock. Price wars are ultimately of no benefit to any single operator, whether in the accommodation sector or elsewhere in the tourism value chain. 

A policy towards controlled accommodation supply needs to be adopted to address volume and type of accommodation required over the years. 

Raising the bar for all service providers, including both public and private services and including new market entrants in a more selective manner. This will necessitate the reforming of the licencing regime coupled with enforcing in a smarter manner.

Fostering cross collaboration across various digital tourism initiatives through the consolidation and better use of data

The consolidation and use of quality data improves the access to digital information and provides valuable knowledge to advance the local product. 

Investment in new Technologies enables the opportunity to enhance the Tourist experience by offering more client centric services.

Nurturing digital cross collaboration initiatives across the Public, Private and Non-Profit organisations strengthen the Tourism Sector by connecting visitors and maximising the local Tourism offerings.  

Smart use of emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Super Computing, 5G Network and Augmented / Virtual Realities amongst others increases the value of digital tourism products.

Innovation empowers a destination to tap into emerging sectors in advance of slower reacting competitors. This approach is beneficial both to visitors and to the host community.

Strengthen the Market Intelligence Unit, produce data intelligence on a regular basis and share it with stakeholders to generate greater awareness and contribute to the successful development of the Sector. Undertake benchmarking exercises as required from time to time.

The Strategy shall enshrine sustainable development into all its actions by actively mainstreaming the principles of sustainable development together across all sectors.

Tourism operations will be encouraged and assisted into shifting towards more sustainable approaches to development and operation. This includes accommodation, catering and food production, transport, entertainment, visitor attractions and venues amongst others. The inclusion of stakeholders to contribute to the measurement of sustainability KPIs is integral to this.

The further integration of tourism activity into the realm of environmental respect and sensitivity, in all of its aspects (such as biodiversity conservation) will be encouraged as a win-win situation.

Besides following climate change developments and their impacts on tourism, the Maltese Tourism Industry will also take steps to minimise its own impacts to achieve Climate Friendly Travel by 2050 through the adoption of applicable Low Carbon Development measures.

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Even in Malta, the fight against mass tourism starts gathering steam

Network of activists from malta and southern european cities in effort to curb over-tourism and protect natural resources.

A new southern European network has been formed to challenge mass-tourism across a number of countries, and combat the negative effects of large influxes of visitors.

The network, SET – the Southern European front against Touristification – was founded in April this year, and includes representatives from Malta and various Italian, Spanish and Portuguese cities.

All the network’s founding “cities” – Venice, Barcelona, Valencia, Seville, Palma, Pamplona, Lisbon, Malta, Malaga, Madrid, Girona, Donostia, the Canary Islands and the Camp de Terragona – have in the past decade had their popularity further boosted through cheap flights offered by low cost airlines.

A representative of SET in Malta, architect Tara Cassar, told this newspaper that the network did not intend to make tourism seem like a negative thing, but wanted to put in place a structured way of restraining the problems mass-tourism is bringing, and, locally, to protected the island’s resources.

“Cities across Europe, such as Barcelona and Venice are sadly a testament to the downfall of mass-tourism, exemplifying its crass effect on public life. This can also be seen happening locally through increased rent in part due to more homes being let-out for short stays, overburdened public transport, over-consumption of depleting resources, particularly water, and deluge of waste, just to mention a few,” Cassar said.

“We are not suggesting that one labels tourism as the problem. Rather, we are working for structured restraints to curb the impacts of mass-tourism and protect our islands’ limited resources, whilst we’re still in time,” she said.

Cassar added that while Malta’s involvement in the network had just started, it intended to take the issue forward in more depth soon.

SET’s founding manifesto mentions housing and rent problems experienced by locals, caused by real estate agencies who buy property to allocate them to the tourist market, as the most important common problem its cities are facing.

Rising prices, and poor working conditions and black market employment in touristic sectors, such as hotels and restaurants, are other issues the network says its cities face.

High rates of pollution due to the massive use of resources by tourist and the excessive use and constant expansion of infrastructure which ruin and exploit the natural and architectural environment for tourism’s sake, are other negatives which touristification brings to the cities, SET’s manifesto says.

Too much of a good thing

While European economies have traditionally welcomed the income boost generated by tourists, many cities around the continent are now finding that too much tourism is becoming a big problem.

Barcelona – a city swarming with tourists – has in the past few years started feeling the pressure on the housing market caused by AirBnB, which has made property unaffordable for residents. AirBnB makes it easy for property owners to rent out their houses or flats to tourists, at rates often undercutting traditional hotel rooms.

A good portion of tourist apartments in the city are illegal, but authorities have now started fight back, clamping down on illegal holiday lets, and imposing hefty fines and prosecuting landlords who do not play by the rules.

Earlier this year, Palma became the first Spanish city to ban private holiday rentals altogether, in an attempt to halt mass tourism and make the city more habitable for its residents.

Venice, another city flooded with holidaymakers, has now restricted access to cruise ships, banning larger vessels from its centre, due to the mass congestion they were causing to its canals.

In Malta, too, tourism has reached record heights, with inbound trips in 2017 having risen almost 16% over the previous year.

There is now concern, however, on the sustainability of such an economic model, with the country facing ever increasing rent prices, constant construction in the island’s most popular localities, and seemingly never-ending traffic jams and queues.

“We’re not suggesting that one labels tourism as the problem but we are working for structured restraints to curb the impacts of mass-tourism whilst we’re still in time”

A more meaningful form of tourism

It is for this reason that SET’s cities have banded together to push for a higher quality of tourism, championing the idea that in the face of touristification, a territorial networked response offering alternative proposals, and individual and collaborative actions, is essential to solve the problem.

The network underscores the difference between a “traveller” and a “tourist”. Travellers don’t just visit a country, they want to feel at home, live like the locals do, and engage in authentic experiences – they bring with them a form of tourism focused on quality, not quantity.

If citizens are forced out of their cities – something which has happened locally in places like Sliema, which now have a high percentage of foreign residents – then visitors to such places are not really “travellers” but merely tourists walking between crowds of other non-travellers, waiting in queues and visiting shops the likes of which are found all over the world, SET’s rationale posits.

In light of the problems mass tourism brings, SET says locals have started to organise themselves and defend their right to inhabit their cities, starting by drawing people’s attention to the issues.

The current tourism model needs to be openly criticised, with its consequences denounced, SET maintains.

One way of doing so is by discussions on limiting the tourism industry, an idea which was recently mentioned by the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association, which called for a carrying capacity study for the island’s tourist sector.

Through this international network of cities in the same situation, SET hopes to create a powerful voice against over-tourism, with its manifesto being the first step to achieve this.

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This publication summarises the key tourism figures for Malta and gives an overview of Malta's tourism performance in 2022.

The report is based on official tourism figures published by UNWTO, Eurostat and NSO , and research findings emerging from surveys carried out by Malta Tourism Authority's Research Unit. 

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• Tourism today depends on reliable, professional and…

Tourism today depends on reliable, professional and inclusive governance

This week I was unimpressed by the situation across the Islands concerning the lack of planning in infrastructure (principally the roads); the increase in traffic and pollution; the degradation of the traditional and characteristic landscape with unsightly buildings and faceless concrete blocks of apartments, and the disregard by the authorities to people’s concern at the apathy and lack of professional governance being demonstrated at the highest levels … this is definitely no way to attract tourism (at least not the type of quality tourism we wish to attract).

There is a serious and urgent need to develop a more integrated approach to the management of tourism on these Islands, a need to be reliable, professional and inclusive.

Tourism is not an activity that is simply measured in numbers today, but is measured in qualities and sustainability. But it also depends on how the destination is managed – is it attractive, does it give the visitor the real value in terms of experience and money; does it present a unique venue, or is it still part of the mass tourism destinations where the Joe Bloggs or Hans Fritz would come to lie in the sun and swim in the pool, or get drunk on the local cheap plonk and the pseudo local dishes made up of imported, and not local produce?

Over the years tourism has changed, where it has become more of an individual rather than a mass activity, with the growth of low cost carriers, digital tourism and diverse destinations. It will be difficult to persuade tourists to visit a destination simply by lowering the prices or offering cheap packages. People are looking for quality – at least the tourists that matter, who want to be at the destination. The ones who are coming here are clueless and care little about where they go, as long as it is cheap and in the sun!

We cannot build a reliable, professional and inclusive system of managing tourism if we do not make a stand, as a local community, to ensure that the principles of sustainability and good governance are understood and implemented by all – we need to take an example of the action we need to take from the Canary Islands, Barcelona and Venice if we want to get out of the mess we are in today. Here are my six suggestions for us all to follow in order to turn these Islands into the tourism destination it should be :

1. The management of tourism means that the authorities and community must agree on two critical factors – to want a quality tourism based on commitment, trust and synergy, and to make this happen through continuous and consistent consultation.

2. A business community that should understand that character, culture and landscape are important features for quality tourism and that, no, the Islands are not better looking in the last decade than they were before this time, as some misguided developer stated recently.

3. The authorities must forget about serving their political masters who are short termists, and who are simply interested in their own political, financial and egocentric gain rather than the national interest.

4. The visitor must be responsible for the sustainable principles at a destination as much as the local resident.

5. Quantities are not the solution to a successful tourism activity – the “carrying capacity” devised through a study a year ago putting tourism figures at 4.6 million a year are definitely not in the national interest. They are calculated in the interests of the unscrupulous business person who is interested in “bums on seats” rather than tourism. Carrying capacities have to be carefully calculated by studying the balance between resources and visitor services that impact on the quality of life for the local community.

6. Finally, as I sit here writing this article I can hear the heavy traffic on the road outside my office. This is not only increasing the pollution, but it is destroying the very fabric of the Islands from that quiet retreat where visitors used to come to get away from the stress of busy cities and development, now visitors can feel at home, because we are providing them with the environment and experience of that home that they wanted to get away from.

Tourism must be seen as that fire that cooks your food or burns the house down. Under these governance terms we are heading for the second option, and very soon we will experience the demise of the activity altogether. Change must happen now and quickly – we need a better governance, reliability and interactive process to manage tourism.

By following these six stages, we can ensure that these Islands are managed professionally, sustainably and with the idea of developing a quality activity that attracts the visitor who wants to be here.

Travel and Tourism to these islands today is about quantitative gains for the greedy and uncouth. We need to put professionalism and hospitality back in the equation.

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Travel and tourism in Malta - statistics & facts

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Detailed statistics

Travel and tourism's total contribution to GDP in Malta 2019-2022

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Current statistics on this topic.

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Distribution of travel and tourism spending in Malta in 2019 and 2022, by type of tourist

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Revenue of the travel and tourism market in Malta from 2019 to 2028, by segment (in million U.S. dollars)

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Number of cruise ship passengers arriving in Malta from 2019 to 2023, by age

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Occupancy rate of bedrooms in hotels and similar accommodation establishments in Malta from 2013 to 2022

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Overtourism, Environmental Degradation and Governance in Small Islands with Special Reference to Malta

• First Online: 24 November 2020

Cite this chapter

• Lino Briguglio 4 &
• Marie Avellino 4  

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This chapter briefly reviews the literature on tourism carrying capacity, sustainable tourism and overtourism, three concepts interlinked with each other, and are often used to stress the costs of tourism development as well as the need for good environmental governance. In the literature, environmental degradation is viewed as one of the downsides of tourism. The chapter presents an overview of the Maltese tourist industry and reports on a survey relating to overtourism in Malta. The results of the survey indicate that most respondents were of the view that overtourism exists in Malta leading to environmental degradation, and this in spite of the lip-service given to sustainable tourism in official government policy statements.

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See Mulvihill ( 2016 ), Scicluna ( 2017 ) and Dodds ( 2007 ) for a list of tourism downsides in Malta.

Low-cost carriers operate from a large number of airports and the name “Malta” is shown on the screens showing arrivals and departure. This serves to make thousands of passengers aware of Malta as a low-cost carrier destination.

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In all categories the difference between the proportion of those who agreed and those who disagreed was statistically significant at the 5% level.

The manner in which the responses were measured is explained in Briguglio and Avellino ( 2019 ).

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Briguglio, L., Avellino, M. (2021). Overtourism, Environmental Degradation and Governance in Small Islands with Special Reference to Malta. In: Roberts, J.L., Nath, S., Paul, S., Madhoo, Y.N. (eds) Shaping the Future of Small Islands. Palgrave Macmillan, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-4883-3_17

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Home » Malta island » Is Malta safe?

Is Malta safe for tourists? Travel advice, warnings and crime rates

Are you making travel plans to come to Malta? Not sure what it’s like when it comes to safety for tourists? I’m here to help!

The question of whether Malta is a safe holiday destination isn’t uncommon. The short answer: Yes, it is. Crime rates are low, there is no threat of terror attacks and no unusual health risks. In general, you’ll be fine if you follow local advice, however, there are a couple of things to keep in mind and to be wary of.

(Last updated: February 2024)

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Threats and your safety

With tension and conflict in North Africa and the Middle East, it seems Malta’s geographical location may be uncomfortably close to all of the unrest in the area, but the risk of terror attacks is relatively low in Malta, and no major warnings have been issued.

Crime rates in Malta have historically been low compared to other EU member states and tourist destinations across the globe. However, reports of crimes have increased in the past decade, as outlined by various local media platforms. With a growing population and increasing number of visitors, that upward trend will likely continue in the coming years.

The more common threats to traveller safety are:

• Petty crimes such as pickpocketing and other types of theft from parked cars and shopping centres
• Rare incidents of muggings and/or sexual assault , particularly around tourist hotspots like Sliema and St. Julian’s (and the Paceville nightlife area)
• Occasional incidents of violence in nightlife areas (most notably Paceville and Buġibba)
• Road accidents .

How Safe is Malta: Tips and Local Advice

Although Malta is a safe country in general, in this guide, I’ve collected a few items to be aware of to ensure your and your loved one’s safety and security while travelling to the Maltese Islands.

But first, have a look at this list of things that you should keep in mind:

• Passport Validity: It goes without saying that your passport must be valid to be able to travel abroad.
• Official Currency: Especially if you’re travelling from other continents, bear in mind that Malta uses the Euro as its official currency .
• International driving permit: If you plan on renting a car during your stay in Malta, make sure you are of age (generally 21+ are allowed to rent) and that you have an international driving permit. You can then choose to pick up the car from the Malta International Airport or your accommodation.
• Make friends with locals: They will help you familiarise yourself with the country and offer recommendations of the top places to visit / places to avoid.
• Familiarise yourself with your surroundings: It’s a good idea to remember a landmark, a shop, etc., close to your accommodation. In case you get lost, you can always ask for help if you mention something specific.
• Take down the contact numbers of the Maltese authorities and emergency services : You definitely shouldn’t come to Malta with the idea that trouble is lurking around the corner, but it’s always good to have the correct information handy.
• Make sure you have travel insurance: In the event that you require a medical evacuation, consular assistance or any other unforeseen circumstances, this will save you a lot of trouble and money.

If any of your questions are not answered here, please leave a comment at the bottom of this article, and I’ll be happy to offer some local advice!

Is Malta safe from terrorism?

Despite its close proximity to areas of conflict, terror threat levels are low in Malta , as gauged by the UK government and the US Department of State .

Since Malta is a relatively neutral state with few (if any) enemies internationally, it’s unlikely the threat of terrorist attacks will increase in the foreseeable future.

Crime in Malta: Rates, Pickpocketing and General Safety

The Malta crime rate is relatively low and the police are statistically successful in catching criminals. Having said that, as a tourist you need to be aware of your surroundings in busier areas as crime reports have increased in recent years.

Crimes like pickpocketing, handbag-snatching and muggings are more common tourist hotspots, particularly in:

• Capital city Valletta .

Often, crime reports increase with the arrival of gangs causing a temporary increase in crimes until they’re caught.

That makes it difficult to predict how much at risk you are in tourist areas. Knowing such incidents take place, my advice is to use your common sense and be vigilant as you would in any other tourist destination to be able to travel to Malta with relative peace of mind. It’s far from a lawless jungle, yet it’s no longer the peaceful and safe place it was 10-15 years ago.

More detailed data on crime rates in Malta can be found here: Crime Malta Observatory .

How to avoid falling victim to pickpockets

• Keep any bags and purses in front of you in crowded areas, with the flaps facing your body
• In less busy areas, keep bags tucked under the arms and straps short
• Don’t display jewellery or cash to avoid being targeted
• Be aware of your surroundings

Is it safe to walk outside in the evening/during the night?

Generally speaking, walking outside in the evening shouldn’t be a problem when visiting Malta. You’ll find lots of people who go for their daily run along the coast, people heading to after-work drinks, and others just going about their day. That being said, there are few exceptions, as you would expect in other countries.

It’s always best to avoid walking alone in areas like Paceville. If you need to catch a cab or head back to your hotel if it happens to be within the area, just make sure you’re walking back with a friend.

The same can be said for areas like Sliema and Buġibba. For the most part, you’ll be fine, but as you’d expect with other main cities around the globe, it’s important always to be aware of your surroundings.

Places to Avoid in Malta

I wouldn’t say there are particular places to avoid in Malta, though there are a few areas of concern when it comes to crime.

Paceville (the centre of nightlife in Malta , which is part of St. Julian’s), Sliema, Valletta and the outskirts of the harbour-side village of Marsa (also referred to as Albert Town) are places to be vigilant. The last is an unlikely place to visit as a tourist, and crimes are still rare so I won’t go into much detail about that.

When it comes to Paceville, unfortunately, security has been lacking here in recent years. Although the area isn’t considered a “high-risk” location, it pays to be vigilant and to stay out of trouble, especially since it’s one of the most crowded places on the island.

Although there is a small police presence, they haven’t proven effective in preventing and remediating other petty crimes in the area on weekend nights. Bouncers provide private security for nightclubs but don’t have the best reputation for being correct in their dealings as some have been known to turn violent, unfortunately.

If you decide to go clubbing at Paceville, stick to these recommendations, and you should be fine:

• If a fight breaks out, avoid trouble and don’t argue with bouncers. The best you can do is to call the police (+356 2122 4001 or on emergency number 112 in case of emergencies)
• Always mind your drinks and don’t accept food, gum etc. from strangers. These items can be spiked with drugs and may result in sexual assault and robbery.
• Don’t wander off by yourself

Other Localities

St. Julian’s and Sliema are tourist hotspots, and Gżira (next to Sliema) is inhabited and frequented by foreigners employed by iGaming companies in the area. That means there are plenty of targets for muggers looking for a quick score.

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Malta Safety at Sea

There are few big threats or surprises to safety at sea if you use common sense. These are a few things to keep in mind to keep yourself away from harm:

• You can swim safely anywhere really, but the golden rule is to swim where the locals swim. Popular areas such as Għadira Bay, Ġnejna Bay, Golden Bay and the Blue Lagoon in Comino are generally safe options.
• Be careful if you decide to go swimming during the winter months, as it’s not uncommon for even experienced swimmers to get caught off-guard by underwater currents.
• Jumping off high cliffs in the sea might earn you some street cred with your friends, but if you risk life and limb and things go wrong, you’re a fool. Think twice – accidents happen, and paralysis and sometimes death are the result.
• In most of the larger swimming areas and beaches, swimmers’ zones are clearly marked off with buoys to ensure no boats enter. In other places, those safety measures may not be present. Accidents involving boats are rare, but it always pays to be vigilant.
• Natural threats are limited. The most common, apart from the weather, are jellyfish. Jellyfish stings are common but rarely pose a big health risk. It’s always worth checking with the locals whether any jellyfish blooms have been reported. Although Great White Sharks do inhabit the Mediterranean Sea around Malta, shark attacks are uncommon.

Local Laws in Malta

Malta is one of the few countries in Europe where the spring hunting season is still allowed. The season is usually open around mid-April and ends around the first week of May. Hunting is allowed from two hours before sunrise until two hours after sunrise.

If you decide to go for walks in rural areas, that means you’ll want to be aware of your surroundings, not so much because of the risk of getting hit by gunshot fire, but more for trespassing into fields owned (or claimed to be owned) by hunters. These privately owned fields are usually marked with RTO (Restricted To Outsiders). Incidents are rare, but be aware of your surroundings when you’re out and about in the countryside to avoid hunting areas.

Illegal Drugs

As you would expect in most European cities, the Maltese local authorities impose penalties for the possession, use, or trafficking of illegal drugs. Convicted offenders can expect jail sentences and heavy fines.

Road safety in Malta

As far as road safety in Malta goes, that’s another story. In general, drivers aren’t very courteous and speeding isn’t uncommon. The best thing to do is to anticipate and be aware of your surroundings, and you should do fine. More detailed info: Driving in Malta: Top tips, facts and FAQs .

Further information about statistics can be found in the 2022 Road Safety Report published by the European Commission.

• In 2023 , Malta had a total of 14 road fatalities . When compared to 2022, this number was down by almost half from the 26 fatalities recorded in 2022 .
• Malta had the lowest road fatality rate in the European Union in 2021. Considering there are over 424,000 cars driving around on a small, densely populated island with a population of over 518,000, that’s a bit of a miracle.
• You’re safer behind the steering wheel or on a bus than riding a motorcycle or bike. Malta has a few narrow roads with few dedicated cycling lanes and numerous tricky situations with poor visibility. Particularly, motorcycle and bicycle accidents aren’t uncommon.
• Roads can easily become slippery with (light) rain, and some roads are of pretty poor quality, so be aware if you choose to drive.
• Taxi drivers and large vehicles “own” the road. You’re better off expecting that and anticipating their moves.

Weather Malta: Sun, Rainfall and Flash Flooding

The weather in Malta rarely poses a serious threat. The only exceptions are:

• The sun. Without adequate skin protection, UV levels during the summer heat can cause a threat to health up to and including melanoma (skin cancer).
• Tropical thunderstorms with sudden heavy rain can cause flash flooding in lower-lying areas like Msida, Birkirkara, and Qormi on the island of Malta. These types of dangerous or hazardous conditions are most common around September/October but aren’t very frequent.

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Edward is the Founder and Editor of Malta Uncovered and author of two guidebooks on Malta and Valletta.

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How safe do you think it will be at christmas in malta this year . Ive booked for 7 days 23-30 december . Im unsure yet what to do

Hi Alison, unfortunately it’s very hard to tell. I expect the current spike to take at least a few months to be under control, but how colder weather will impact the spread of the virus is a big unknown. What I can tell you is that precautions have been taken seriously in hospitality and catering establishments and I don’t expect that to be any different come Christmas 2020.

While travel insurance probably won’t get you very far there are options for flexible cancellation and refund with airlines and accommodation sites like Booking.com and Airbnb.com which you could consider, however.

My 24 year old son maybe going to Malta for a football trial on his own is this safe for him and how well will he be taken care of?

Hi Jacqueline, without knowing the specifics of the situation it’s a tough question to answer accurately, though generally local sports clubs (be it football, basketball, etc.) usually offer close support to ensure their guests are well looked after and integrate well with the team at the same time. For a country where football is generally semi-professional, it’s in their interest to make sure potential foreign players are taken care of and feel at home (and safe).

Thanks for the interesting article! I will be going to Malta in April (so pretty soon) and I was wondering if there are any places that I should maybe avoid (at certain times of the day maybe?) I am an 18 year old girl and I will be traveling alone, so… I was just wondering of certain areas might be a bit sketchy. Thanks in advance for your reply!

Hi Alice, literally the only area I’d call sketchy is around the harbourside at Marsa, which is a very unlikely place for any visitor to end up.

Do you know what the locals/natives attitude is towards homosexuals?

Hi Ben, Malta has become a lot more LGBTQ+-friendly in the past decade or so ( interesting article here ), and I personally haven’t heard of any hate crimes. I do know a large part of the population is traditionally conservative, however, so PDAs may provoke verbal reactions. I would suggest reaching out to https://www.gaymalta.com/ , who will probably be able to guide you better.

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Editorial: Malta’s garbage problem and its effect on tourism

Last Updated on Thursday, 17 August, 2023 at 9:45 pm by Andre Camilleri

One day last week, the mayors of three localities which are at the heart of the tourism industry took journalists on a tour to show them the waste problem that they are experiencing.

The media could see garbage bags of any shape and size piling up against walls, on pavements and in other open spaces. The media tour was in the afternoon, which meant that the waste would have remained uncollected until the next day.

It gave the areas in question such a shabby, unclean and unattractive look.

The localities we are speaking about are Sliema, St Julian’s and Swieqi, all of them part of the region where most of our hotels are and where most of the tourists spend their time. The accumulating garbage is what these tourists see too.

While the government continues to boast about numbers and saying that we are fast picking up where we left off before the Covid pandemic, the image that Malta is portraying is not appealing. The tourists who witness this will go back and tell their relatives and friends that Malta is a dirty place.

They might have even seen a few rats roaming about, as many of us have done, and as footage that has been posted on the social media has shown.

Now, one may say that the three mayors in question were all elected on behalf of the Nationalist Party, and what they did could easily be described as a stunt. True, it may have been one, and the PN needs more of these to do what is ultimately its job – that of being a strong opposition. But it is also true that what the PN mayors showed the journalists is happening on a daily basis in these localities.

The government and the Labour Party did not reply to the PN’s press tour. Usually, they are both quick to respond when they think they have an argument to make. But, on this occasion, they both remained silent, a tacit acceptance that what the mayors were saying was correct.

The PN did the right thing in highlighting this issue. But it should not stop there. While councils have their own responsibilities in maintaining their localities in good order, the government has the over-riding role to supply them with the funds they need to carry out their duties. Secondly, the other authorities responsible for law enforcement should also be doing their part.

It would be wrong to assume that the tourism industry will not suffer from this. Tourists want to enjoy themselves in a clean environment, but what is happening in Malta will push them away.

A few days ago, a UK tabloid newspaper wrote at length about how Malta was attracting cheap tourists with cheap alcohol and legal cannabis. Some argued that such an article did harm to Malta; others countered that it was not so negative.

But we will all be in agreement that if some other British newspaper had to run a piece about how dirty Malta has become, that article would be doing great damage.

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'My misery, your paradise': The problem with tourism in the Canary Islands

Protesters have taken increasingly extreme measures, with one group going on an "indefinite" hunger strike.

News reporter @jos_franks

Saturday 27 April 2024 08:44, UK

A wave of demonstrations have swept the Canary Islands as locals protested against a tourism model they say has plundered the environment, priced them out of housing and forced them into precarious work.

The seven main Canary Islands are home to 2.2 million people - and welcomed almost 14 million international visitors in 2023, up 13% from the previous year.

The protests were not aimed at individual tourists, activists say, but at the governments that have created a system that skews so much in favour of investors at the expense of local communities.

The tourism industry accounts for 35% of gross domestic product (GDP) in the Canary Islands and local residents who spoke to Sky News agree the islands can't survive without tourism.

But they are also questioning whether local communities and the environment can survive if things stay the way they are.

What's the problem? Tourism is a 'cash cow' - but not for locals

If you're looking for what's behind the wave of protests, you need to look back decades, Sharon Backhouse tells Sky News.

Along with her Canarian husband, she owns GeoTenerife, which runs science field trips and training camps in the Canary Islands and conducts research into sustainable tourism.

The tourism model in the Canary Islands hasn't been updated since before the tourism boom of the 1980s, when the islands were "trying desperately" to attract investment, she explains.

The answer back then was a model that was "incredibly generous" to investors, who only pay 4% tax and can send the profits earned in the Canaries back to the firm's home country, Ms Backhouse explains.

But the model hasn't changed.

That's created a situation where "more and more of these giant, all inclusive resort hotels" are being built, and the proceeds of this "incredible cash cow" aren't shared equitably with the local population, she says.

"It is absurd to have a system where so much money is in the hands of a very few extremely powerful groups, and is then funnelled away from the Canary Islands," she says.

"We're seeing really low salaries, zero-hour contracts and awful working conditions in some of these hotels."

Ms Backhouse was at the 20 April protest in Tenerife and says she has "never seen anything like it" in terms of Canarians being united for a single cause.

'My misery, your paradise'

Earlier this year there was a spate of graffiti in Tenerife.

Andy Ward, director of Tenerife Estate Agents, tells Sky News the media coverage of a smattering of "tourists go home" graffiti has been "100x greater than the on-the-ground reality", where there is little visible animosity.

But there was one spray-painted message that sums up the gulf between Canary Islands residents and the tourists who flock there: "My misery, your paradise".

More than a third of the population of the Canary Islands - nearly 800,000 people - are at risk of poverty or social exclusion, according to a recent report from the environmental group Ecologists in Action.

The average wage for restaurant staff and cleaners is between €1,050 and €1,300 a month, Mr Ward says, while the cost of renting an apartment can be almost as much.

'Shanty towns' in the shadow of luxury

One of the main issues is the dearth of affordable or social housing, Mr Ward says.

"The governments here have completely neglected this need, instead selling land for more hotels and selling land for luxury villas and high-end apartments, which locals are unable to afford."

What has caused anger is property managers renting out properties to tourists that are "completely inappropriate and inadequate", such as small apartments in residential buildings.

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The regulations on short-term lets "are a complete mess and a mish-mash", he says. Landlords aren’t incentivised to let their properties long-term because they must sign up to long leases, and if tenants default on the rent it can take 18 months to evict them.

His views are echoed by Kris Jones, a British citizen who was born in Tenerife, taking over the bar his parents owned in Playa de la Americas, the Drunk’n Duck.

Many hotel employees are forced to live in the multiple motorhome sites that have popped up around the south of the island because they can’t afford anything else, he says.

"Shanty towns" is what Ms Backhouse calls them, built in the shadow of "uber luxury hotels".

Mr Jones questions why planning permission has been granted to hotels without ensuring their employees will be able to live nearby.

He says the idea the island's population hates foreign visitors is "utter garbage".

He stresses that the protests were against the government - not tourists.

"It's nothing to do with the behaviour of British tourists, and isn't even part of the agenda at all," he tells Sky News.

Hunger strike to stop hotels

Protesters say they are having to take increasingly drastic actions to have their voices heard.

Subsequently six members of Canarias Se Agota - which translates to the Canary Islands Are Exhausted - have been on hunger strike since 11 April.

As well as demanding a halt to new tourism developments and a limit to the number of visitors, the campaigners want to stop the development of two luxury resorts in Tenerife.

Both developments faced legal hurdles on environmental grounds that had paused construction, but stop work orders were lifted earlier this year.

Campaigners maintain the developments breach environmental laws - claims the developers deny - and have committed to continuing the hunger strike until the government intervenes, despite some strikers needing hospital treatment.

The hunger strikers, who have not been named, were among fellow protesters on the streets of Tenerife on 20 April.

A spokesperson for the campaign said: "If anything happens to any of our comrades... you (Fernando Clavijo - president of the Canary Islands) will have to face the fury of the people."

The strikers met with the Canary Islands president on 23 April, but their demands were rejected.

Representatives of the strikers said on 26 April the "medical condition of the six is deteriorating, but they are determined to continue" until their demands are met.

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Protesters are also demanding "access to respectable housing", an "eco-tax" and "immediate measures to put an end to the raw sewage discharges into the sea".

Salvar La Tejita, an environmental organisation which helped organise the mass protest, says: "It is vital to clarify that these protests are not against the tourists or tourism in general, but are against the political class, administrations, hotel chains, and constructors who are jointly responsible for the unsustainable circumstances which Tenerife is now in.

"This platform is not in any way responsible for the graffiti messages 'Tourists Go Home' which have been sprayed in and around many tourist resorts.

The environmental cost of tourism

The Canary Islands are a "biodiversity jewel in the Atlantic", Ms Backhouse says - but they haven't been fully protected or valued.

Politicians in the past have said the development of the controversial resorts can't be stopped "just because of a weed", she says.

"These aren't just weeds. What they're actually doing is interfering with an ecosystem which will have difficulty surviving if you plonk a resort right in the middle of it."

The building of these resorts has an environmental costs as "beautiful landscapes are cemented over", Ms Backhouse says - and the cost only mounts once they open.

"The problem with these resorts is that we just don't have enough resources in terms of water, what happens to all the rubbish, how is it all recycled.

"Locals are feeling disenfranchised from their spaces because it all becomes tourist territory.

"Towns and villages that locals grew up in or would go on holiday in suddenly are completely unrecognisable."

What solutions are on the table?

One of the proposals is a tourist tax which would be invested in protecting the environment.

Ms Backhouse says the hotel industry is against it and the government is nervous about it - but GeoTenerife's research indicates it wouldn't put tourists off.

"I think the reality is very few people will cancel their holiday because they have to pay a little bit of money that goes towards protecting the landscapes they're coming to see."

Hoteliers have proposed instead putting up IGIC, which is similar to VAT, but Ms Backhouse says that isn't welcomed by campaigners "because again, that just puts the onus on the locals to prop up the system".

A tourist tax is one part of the answer to protect the environment, but it doesn't answer the question of job insecurity and unaffordable housing.

Ms Backhouse says it is encouraging to see solutions proposed, but "it's going to take something far more wide-ranging to put this train on a more sustainable track".

Impending crackdown on holiday homes

A draft law is expected to be passed this year which would ban newly built properties from becoming short-term rentals and toughen up the rules for existing properties.

It comes as official figures show the number of rental beds on the island reached 220,409 in March this year - an increase of more than 40,000 from the same point in 2023.

Canaries regional tourism chief Jessica de Leon told the Reuters news agency that enforcement support for the islands' 35 inspectors is key to the success of the new rules.

"We are going to empower [the police] so that they can act when fraudulent behaviour is detected in homes," she said, adding that the plan could involve 1,300 people, which would include all of the islands' police forces.

"The first step is to contain the growth, the second is to clean up [existing listings]," said Canaries director of tourism Miguel Rodríguez.

An example of the crackdowns to come occurred on 16 April, when police raided a property in Tenerife after its owner was reported for listing the building's rooftop as a campsite on Airbnb, offering renters tents for €12 (£10) a night.

Read more: Tourist dies after falling into sea in Tenerife Why are university students protesting in the US?

The plans have not proved popular with landlords, who would be forced to comply with the new rules within five years.

"Everything that the government is trying to impose is problematic," says a spokesperson for Ascav, the Canary Islands Vacation Rental Association, adding it is "the most restrictive" legislation of its kind in Europe.

They believe around 95% of the existing holiday homes that abide by current laws will not be able to meet the new criteria, which includes getting consent from local authorities to open, meeting higher energy classification thresholds, having a minimum surface area and more in a long list of "impossible compliance".

"The consequences will be immediate," they warn. "If holiday homes are banned on the islands, visitors who demand this type of accommodation will choose other destinations, Canary Islanders will be even poorer, bars, restaurants, rent a cars, supermarkets, leisure activities, etc. will lose economic activity. Undoubtedly, we all lose."

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Ascav acknowledges "something is going wrong" for the island's economy, but argues it's not down to those providing holiday homes, nor the tourists Canarians "love".

"The message is for our governments, for their passivity, incompetence and lack of planning," they say.

"They are the ones that have allowed that the resources of tourism has not to been shared with the local population. Locals has been excluded because governments preferred permitting to exploit the territory and tourism to the maximum, without any return for the islands and their inhabitants.

"The solution is to listen to ourselves, to listen to our visitors, to listen and protect to the Canary islanders, to integrate, to plan, to be sustainable, to grow with, not at the expense of, to be responsible for the territory and the well-being of its people, to diversify, to ensure the quality of the destination.

"Our problems have to be resolved by politicians, but they lack will and predisposition, that's why we are fed up."

What have politicians said?

The islands' president said the day before the 20 April protests that he felt "proud" the region is a leading Spanish tourism spot, but acknowledged more controls are needed.

"We can't keep looking away. Otherwise, hotels will continue to open without any control," Fernando Clavijo told a news conference.

Two days after the protest, Mr Clavijo posted on X saying: "What happened last Saturday in the streets of Canarias leaves a message that we share. Canarias has to review its model, where we want to go.

"It had to be done during the pandemic, but it is a challenge that we assumed and on which we are already working with the councils, with the city councils and that we must face as a whole in society."

He has called a meeting of island presidents and Canary Island administrators on 30 April in the hope of finding a solution.

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Tens of thousands protest against Canary Islands’ ‘unsustainable’ tourism model

Organisers say 50,000 turn out to call for limit on tourist numbers, saying model makes life unaffordable and puts strain on resources

Tens of thousands of people are protesting across the Canary Islands to call for an urgent rethink of the Spanish archipelago’s tourism strategy and a freeze on visitor numbers, arguing that the decades-old model has made life unaffordable and environmentally unsustainable for residents.

The protests, which are taking place under the banner “Canarias tiene un límite” – The Canaries have a limit – are backed by environmental groups including Greenpeace, WWF, Ecologists in Action, Friends of the Earth and SEO/Birdlife.

“We’ve reached the point where the balance between the use of resources and the welfare of the population here has broken down, especially over the past year,” said Víctor Martín, a spokesperson for the collective Canarias se Agota – The Canaries Have Had Enough – which helped to coordinate protests on Saturday across the eight islands.

Eleven members of Canarias se Agota have already been on hunger strike for a week to protest against the construction of two large luxury developments in southern Tenerife, which they describe as illegal and totally unnecessary.

Police said 20,000 people had turned out for the demonstrations, but organisers put the figure closer to 50,000, Spain’s TVE public television said.

“We are not against tourism,” Rosario Correo, one of the protesters, told TVE. “We’re asking that they change this model that allows for unlimited growth of tourism.”

Protesters also gathered in Madrid and Barcelona to show their support for the rallies in the Canary Islands, public television said.

Last year, 13.9 million people visited the islands, which have a population of 2.2 million. Tourism accounts for about 35% of the archipelago’s GDP – bringing in €16.9bn in 2022 alone – but local people say the industry is stressing natural resources and pricing them out of the rental market.

Figures from Spain’s National Statistics Institute show that 33.8% of people in the Canaries are at risk of poverty or social exclusion , the highest proportion for any region except Andalucía.

Martín said the regional government’s continuing focus on tourism at a time when the climate emergency was leading to cuts to water supplies made no sense. “Demand is rising in urban areas where there are more tourists,” he said. “We’ve had a very dry winter and a water emergency’s already been declared on Tenerife.

“There are going to be restrictions if there’s not more rain this month but it’s 36C here right now. This is all unsustainable and it means that we won’t even be able to keep normal levels of tourism going. And yet the authorities and the businesses here are trying to stick with this model.”

The housing situation in many parts of the archipelago was also dire because of high prices, low wages, a lack of public housing and the continuing cost of living crisis, Martín said. “I realised we’d reached the limit when I saw people who were working as hotel maids or waiters were living in shacks.

“Wages are so low that they don’t cover the basic costs of living, especially in the current crisis, which is global, but has been felt keenly in the Canaries because we have to import practically everything.”

He insisted the protest movement was not anti-tourist, pointing out that many people in the Canaries had known and liked generations of families from countries such as the UK and Germany.

“The problem isn’t the tourists,” he said. “It’s a model that was built around, and with the connivance of, a business class that doesn’t want to listen to what needs to be done, and with a political class that serves that business class instead of serving all the citizens.”

He said a complete rethink of the Canaries’ tourism model could not wait. “What we’re asking is very simple. Given that tourism is the main economic activity and the cause of all these problems, we want an immediate halt to these two mega-projects,” he said of the Tenerife developments.

“We also want a tourist moratorium that will lead to a study of the load each island can take and which will determine whether we’ve already passed the critical point. In areas where there’s an overload, we want to see a stage of degrowth of economic activity to benefit natural resources. Otherwise, you have an existing model that only benefits a very few people.”

Martín said a proper study of the problems the Canaries suffer from could have global repercussions. “This rethinking of the tourism model could put the Canaries on the map as an example of sustainable tourism development,” he said. “We could be known for something positive instead of something negative.”

Fernando Clavijo, the regional president of the Canary Islands, has said his administration is already taking action. “All the actions this government has taken have been based on a revision of this model,” he told reporters this week . “The Canaries tourist model has been a successful one, but obviously, as with anything, there are things that could be perfected.”

Over-tourism has become a major issue in many Spanish cities and regions , triggering protests and backlashes in Barcelona , and leading the authorities in Seville to consider charging visitors to explore the Andalucían city’s famous Plaza de España .

• The Observer

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