Money that currently goes to big summer parties will now be channelled into promoting cultural tourism, Tourism Minister Ian Borg told Parliament, as concerns mount over the kind of visitors Malta is attracting.

For years, the Malta Tourism Authority has routinely sponsored large-scale parties, a practice that ballooned under disgraced former tourism minister Konrad Mizzi when the authority’s event budget was heavily boosted.

This summer, complaints about Malta’s party-focused tourism model have intensified. Critics argue the country is becoming a magnet for tourists lured by cheap flights, short-let apartments, and the promise of free-flowing alcohol. Swieqi, in particular, has long been a flashpoint: its residents and local council have repeatedly raised alarm over noise, rubbish, and disturbances linked to budget travellers staying in short-term rentals.

Against this backdrop, Borg pledged that the MTA would no longer bankroll festivals and parties, and that the funds would instead be used to “aggressively” promote Malta as a destination for culture, arts, and heritage. The move, he argued, is necessary to rebalance the industry and improve the country’s image abroad.

Yet the measure’s real impact remains questionable. While MTA support has helped some headline events, Malta’s nightlife economy is largely self-sustaining, with countless Paceville nightclubs and venues thriving without government money.