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Tourism Sector Needs ‘Substantial Support’ To Be Saved Ahead Of Winter Months

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The Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association (MHRA) has called for “substantial medium-term support” to save the tourism sector ahead of winter and summer 2021.

While noting that the government had announced it would be extending the COVID-19 €100 voucher scheme beyond this month, MHRA Tony Zahra said the time for “piecemeal support initiatives” was over and a substantial and medium-term plan was needed.

“The dynamic situation which our members are facing due to the COVID-19 pandemic, now calls for a clear direction by the government in addressing the coming months till the opening of the next summer season,” Zahra said today.

He said that business forecasts for the winter period were being drawn up, and urged the government to pick up three key recommendations to help support the travel, hospitality and tourism sector in Malta, which “will undoubtedly drop substantially over the coming seven months”.

1. Extend the wage subsidies for hotels and restaurants up to March 2021.
2. Keep up the momentum of business generated in the restaurant sector through the vouchers
scheme and other subsidies on rent and energy bills by increasing the wage subsidy to restaurants
employees to €800.
3. Ensure that new recruits who replace employees who left their respective organizations will be
made eligible for the 800 euro wage subsidy.

What do you think of these proposals?

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Johnathan is an award-winning Maltese journalist interested in social justice, politics, minority issues, music and food. Follow him at @supreofficialmt on Instagram, and send him news, food and music stories at [email protected]

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