'Fewer complaints' about tourist accommodation

An overall improvement in the quality of tourist accommodation has been noted by enforcement officers, the Malta Tourism Authority said yesterday, adding that this was reflected in a drop in the number of complaints it received last year.

Last year, the authority's enforcement directorate conducted 319 inspections in the accommodation sector, which took into account compliance with regulations and the quality of operations and the facilities on offer. Another 1,500 inspections were conducted at catering establishments.

The directorate investigated 671 complaints in Malta and 78 in Gozo. The most significant number originated from the accommodation, catering and timeshare-selling sectors respectively, the MTA said.

Legal action was taken against 240 operators in the catering, diving and holiday apartments sectors.

Twenty-four of the 42 licensed dive centres were audited for compliance with new regulations. Nine enforcement notices and two fines were issued against unlicensed dive centres and another five unlicensed dive centres closed down voluntarily.

The directorate also investigated 43 complaints in connection with host families and conducted 226 interventions in connection with the regulation of timeshare representatives.

The issue of tables and chairs outside catering establishments was followed up with the result that 117 operators are now in line with the regulations and legal action was taken against 29 who failed to comply, the MTA said.

Fourteen illegal travel operators were ordered to cease operations.