Malta to host first Mediterranean forum on accessible hospitality

Malta will host the first Mediterranean forum dedicated to accessible hospitality later this month, bringing together government officials, tourism industry leaders and advocacy groups to discuss how accessibility is reshaping the hospitality sector.

The Mediterranean Accessible Hospitality Alliance (AHA) Forum will take place on 18th March at the Malta Marriott Resort & Spa in Balluta Bay, St Julian’s. The event is being organised by the Accessible Hospitality Alliance in partnership with the Malta Tourism Authority and VisitMalta Incentives & Meetings, with support from organisations including the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association, Deloitte Malta, Bank of Valletta and HSBC.

The forum will focus on how accessibility is increasingly being viewed as a strategic opportunity for tourism destinations and hospitality businesses, affecting areas such as investment, workforce development and destination competitiveness.

Opening the event will be Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism Ian Borg, followed by a keynote address from President Emeritus Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca.

The programme will also include a series of panel discussions, industry roundtables and presentations from advocates and business leaders with experience in accessible tourism and inclusive employment.

Shawn Pisani, Vice President, HelmsBriscoe, and member of the Accessible Hospitality Alliance Advisory Board commented on the opening of the new chapter saying: “Organising the Alliance’s first forum outside of the UK, on the island of Malta, an economy that depends on tourism, a country that has historically been a crossroads for many cultures, and a people renowned for their hospitality, is a strategically sound choice. It is a project I and my peers are excited about.”

Mr Pisani also announced that four students of the Lino Spiteri Foundation will be serving food and beverage during the forum.

“Inclusive employment is often discussed in policy terms, but in reality, its operational,” he said on Facebook.

“When structured correctly, capability follows. When expectations are clear, performance rises.”

“These students will be serving at the Mediterranean Accessible Hospitality Alliance Forum in Malta – demonstrating what accessible hospitality looks like in practice.”

One panel at the forum will examine the development of the Accessible Hospitality Alliance and Malta’s potential role as a regional focal point for promoting accessibility in the hospitality sector. Speakers are expected to include AHA chair Robin Sheppard, managing director Denis Sheehan and hospitality entrepreneur Frank Bothwell.

The forum will also feature perspectives from individuals with lived experience of disability, including business professional Shelley Cowan and writer and performer Angela Bettoni, alongside discussions on accessible design, workforce inclusion and public policy.

Organisers say the event reflects a broader shift within the global hospitality industry, where accessibility is increasingly considered not only as a compliance requirement but as a factor influencing commercial performance and long-term business resilience.

The Accessible Hospitality Alliance is an industry initiative that promotes accessibility and inclusion across the hospitality sector. It works with businesses, organisations and advocacy groups to encourage accessible design, inclusive employment practices and training aimed at improving the experience of both guests and employees with disabilities.

The organisation also seeks to highlight the economic potential associated with accessible tourism. In the United Kingdom, spending by disabled consumers — often referred to as the “Purple Pound” — is estimated to be worth hundreds of billions of pounds to the wider economy each year, including billions in tourism expenditure.

Advocates argue that many destinations have yet to fully capture this market because of gaps in accessibility across accommodation, transport and hospitality services.

In Malta, where it is estimated that around 10 per cent of the population lives with some form of disability, organisers say there is growing recognition that improving accessibility could benefit both local residents and international visitors while helping businesses tap into an underserved segment of the tourism market.

The Malta forum aims to bring together stakeholders from government, hospitality, finance and civil society to discuss practical steps that could help make the sector more inclusive while strengthening the destination’s competitiveness.

Registration costs €100 and covers the entire programme, including F&B. Registration can be done by contacting Shawn Pisani and Angela Green at spisani@helmsbriscoe.com and agreen@handcnews.com, or by contacting +356 79472862.

The full agenda is available here.