Malta has been recognised as a best practice by the Sustainable EU Tourism project for its strategic transition from a growth-driven tourism model to one focused on sustainable management and controlled visitor attraction.

In response to increasing overtourism and limited capacity to redistribute visitor flows, Malta developed its Tourism Strategy 2021–2030 to ensure tourism supports economic growth while safeguarding social and environmental wellbeing. 

The strategy includes tools such as the Malta Tourism Observatory, satellite and AI technologies, and the creation of a Tourism Satellite Account to monitor and manage impacts. Enhanced cross-sector stakeholder engagement has improved collaboration, raised environmental awareness, and promoted the adoption of broader sustainability indicators.

Malta’s experience shows that destinations can effectively balance economic, social, and environmental goals by fostering cross-sector collaboration and encouraging tourism actors to broaden their focus beyond marketing. 

For more details on the key challenges the destination has faced, and the solutions implemented to address them, please refer to the attached document.