The Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association (MHRA) has welcomed the initiative to introduce on-the-spot fines for cannabis-related offences involving tourists, describing it as a practical measure to strengthen enforcement and promote responsible tourism.
On Wednesday, Minister for Home Affairs, Security and Employment Glenn Bedingfield announced that the €235 fine for smoking cannabis in public spaces will be included in the on-the-spot fines system, meaning that the fines would be able to be collected on site from people who do not reside in Malta.
Reacting to the news, President of the MHRA Tony Zahra said that the real value of on-the-spot fines is not in collecting penalties, but in preventing offences.
“Visible police presence, immediate action and prompt response when assistance is requested are essential. When people see the law being enforced, the deterrent effect is far greater.”
He said that quality tourism cannot be achieved through taxation alone. “It requires effective destination management, responsible behaviour and respect for our communities. ‘Enjoy and Respect’ must become a guiding principle for everyone visiting Malta.”
The association is also calling for Malta to become an international hub for sharing best practices in tourism safety and security, bringing together police forces, civil protection services, emergency responders and international experts. This would be done to exchange knowledge, develop preventive strategies and explore how artificial intelligence, smart surveillance technologies, predictive analytics and real-time monitoring systems can help anticipate risks, prevent unruly tourist behaviour and enable faster, more effective responses, with appropriate safeguards for privacy and civil liberties, it said.
The association believes that closer cooperation between security services, tourism operators and local communities, supported by AI-driven innovation and international expertise, is essential to building safer, more resilient and better-managed destinations.
“This is how we can truly make Malta more attractive to discerning, higher-value tourists – not simply by increasing costs, but by delivering a safer, better-managed and more enjoyable destination that respects its residents and rewards responsible visitors,” Mr Zahra concluded.
Featured image: Gras Grün/Unsplash
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