Malta Tourism Awards – Responsible Tourism Development Award
About this good practice
The Malta Tourism Awards were established to recognise tourism operators who are implementing strategies that contribute to responsible tourism development, thereby inspiring others in the sector to follow.
The awards were inspired by the National Tourism Strategy (2021–2030), which aims to recover, rethink, and revitalise the tourism sector in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The key pillars of the strategy are: investment in and upskilling of human resources, a leap in digitalisation, and a strong drive towards sustainability. These align with the main objectives of the EU Tourism Transition Pathway leading to 2030.
The National Tourism Strategy also led to the establishment of the Malta Tourism Observatory, whose primary role is to monitor the implementation of the strategy and encourage initiatives that align the industry with the country’s long-term vision.
The first edition of the Responsible Tourism Development Award focuses on four sectors:
• Best Accommodation
• Best Travel and Tourism Service
• Best Visitor Attraction
• Best Catering Establishment
Submissions must satisfy at least one of the following criteria:
1. Smart Tourism and Digitalisation
2. Human Resources Training and Upskilling
3. Sustainability and Decarbonisation
Submissions addressing multiple criteria will score higher points.
In parallel, the Tourism Worker of the Year Award recognises outstanding employees in any one of various core sectors within the Tourism Industry.
Expert opinion
Resources needed
- Six full-time working months dedicated to outreach, application and evaluation processes, and coordination of the awards event (the Responsible Tourism Development Award and the Tourism Worker of the Year for different categories).
- Budgeted Cost: €50,000
Evidence of success
- An encouraging total of 38 nominations were received for the first edition of the Responsible Tourism Development Award (2025), across four different sectors: Accommodation, Catering, Travel & Tourism, and Visitor Attractions.
- Multi-criteria excellence is encouraged (e.g., combining sustainability with catering, hospitality, or upskilling), fostering a holistic approach.
- The award serves as a promotional platform for sharing best-practices in sustainability to boost replicability.
Potential for learning or transfer
- National recognition of sustainable practices adds prestige.
- The award acts as a key driver for accelerating decarbonisation.
- Success in sustainability can be achieved through encouragement and inspiration, and not only through enforcement.
- The initiative can help drive behavioural change towards more sustainable practices.
- The event and promotion of the nominees' achievements increases visibility of good practices, reaching other audiences of the tourism sector and beyond.
- Fostering strong potential for healthy competition within the sector to enhance the overall tourism product.
- This good practice promotes positive engagement between the regulator and the market.
- Replication is straightforward and quick, requiring limited resources and effort and is supported by previous experience of nominees.
Further information
Good practice owner
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