The high tourism numbers were creating infrastructural challenges, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat told tourism industry stakeholders on Friday.

“Let me be very clear: this is a positive challenge to be faced with, but we need to roll up our sleeves and find creative solutions to address the issue in a sustainable manner,” he said.

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During the sixth Mediterranean Tourism Forum, Dr Muscat said efforts were being made to update infrastructure, for instance, through ongoing road works.

The Prime Minister said high growth numbers had to be addressed in the context of a country with half a million inhabitants.

Tourism results also attested to how Malta had become one of the least seasonal islands in the Mediterranean, Dr Muscat said.

In light of the high growth rate, the country would also be working to attract tourists “of a greater quality”, he added.

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The government was looking to diversify the sector even more, he said.

Brexit would affect consumer confidence in travelling, Dr Muscat added, possibly leading to an abnormal rate of fluctuation in exchange rates, impacting the number of tourists coming to Malta.

On this, the Malta Tourism Authority was drawing up action plans on dealing with the mitigating affects of Brexit, Dr Muscat said.

Read: Muscat confident of post-Brexit agreement between Malta and the UK