GBC calls for regional autonomy, Marsalforn fast ferry and startup-driven economy in election proposals

The Gozo Business Chamber has published a wide-ranging pre-election document calling for major structural changes to Gozo’s governance, transport infrastructure and economic model, arguing that the island should no longer be treated as an extension of Malta but as a distinct island region with its own long-term development strategy.

In its 34-page document titled A Strategic Framework for Gozo’s Economic Resilience and Future Development, the Chamber says the next legislature should focus on three core priorities: stronger regional governance, a long-term accessibility and logistics masterplan, and economic diversification centred around innovation and startups.

The Chamber argues that Gozo’s challenges are structural rather than temporary, pointing to lower GDP per capita, heavy reliance on micro-enterprises and public-sector employment, and continued dependence on Malta for work opportunities.

Among the most notable proposals are calls for:

• Greater regional autonomy for Gozo, with more decision-making powers transferred closer to the island’s communities and businesses.
• A Gozo Integrated Accessibility and Logistics Masterplan, which would include:
  • a logistics hub near the planned Gozo Rural Airfield;
  • the extension and “future-proofing” of Mġarr Harbour;
  • a new fast ferry landing facility in Marsalforn;
  • and a second road link to Mġarr Harbour, “preferably through a tunnel”.

• Retaining the Malta-Gozo permanent link as a long-term strategic option, with the Chamber warning that land identified for such a project should not be used for incompatible development.
• Formally designating Gozo as an “Island Hub for Innovation, Investment and Start-Ups”, backed by targeted incentives and faster regulatory processes.
• Developing sectors such as AI-enabled business solutions, cybersecurity, digital media, green technologies, medtech, drone applications and specialised aviation services.
• Transforming the Gozo Innovation Hub into a startup and investment ecosystem, with subsidised office space, hot-desking, startup mentoring and collaboration between government, business and education providers.
• Creating a “Gozo Enterprise One-Stop Hub” bringing together services related to company formation, grants, regulatory approvals, innovation support and financing.
• Introducing transport assistance for wholesalers, importers and retailers to offset the additional costs faced by Gozitan businesses due to double insularity.

The document also places significant emphasis on talent retention and youth entrepreneurship, arguing that Gozo needs to create more higher-value career opportunities to reduce dependence on Malta-based employment.

The Chamber notes that in 2024 nearly 5,000 Gozitans worked full-time in Malta, underlining how critical reliable inter-island connectivity remains for the island’s economy.

It also highlights that Gozo and Comino generated around 4.3 per cent of Malta’s GDP despite accounting for roughly 7 per cent of the population, with GDP per capita estimated at just under 60 per cent of the national average.

On tourism, the Chamber argues that Gozo should move away from volume-based tourism and instead focus on attracting more overnight stays and higher-value visitors.

The Chamber said its proposals should not be viewed as standalone projects but as interconnected elements of one long-term development model focused on resilience, accessibility, innovation and economic diversification.

Read the full document below: