The Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association (MHRA) has welcomed the swift action taken by the Malta Police Force and the Malta Tourism Authority (MTA) following the recent anti-social behaviour involving a group of foreign visitors in Swieqi, while calling for significantly higher on-the-spot fines.In a statement, the MHRA praised police for quickly identifying those responsible and issuing fines, as well as the MTA’s decision to order the closure of the short-let apartment block after inspections found breaches of its licence conditions.The association said the coordinated response sends a clear message that Malta will not tolerate anti-social behaviour or breaches of tourism regulations.The MHRA also welcomed the collaboration between Interior Minister Glenn Bedingfield and Tourism Minister Jo Etienne Abela, saying it demonstrated the importance of a joined-up approach to protecting residents, visitors and Malta’s tourism reputation.However, the association argued that current on-the-spot fines are too low to serve as an effective deterrent.“Current penalties are too low to act as an effective deterrent against behaviour that disrupts communities and damages Malta’s international reputation,” the MHRA said, calling for substantially higher fines for those who break the rules.While stressing that the vast majority of tourists respect Malta and contribute positively to the country’s tourism industry, the MHRA said those who disrespect the country, its people and its laws should face tougher enforcement and penalties that reflect the seriousness of their actions.The association said it will continue working with the government, police and the MTA to help ensure Malta remains a safe, respectful and high-quality destination.What do you make of this?•