Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1543884
GozoToday is a weekly newspaper focused primarily on Gozo. It hopes to serve as a source of information on business, culture, entertainment and of course current affairs. Gozo has a special charm about it but it is also a bustling Island with an identity of its own. GozoToday is published every Friday and is available to numerous outlets in Gozo and on the ferries that carry so many visitors to Gozo from Malta and beyond. GozoToday MediaToday Co. Ltd, Vjal ir-Rihan San Gwann SGN 9016 ASSISTANT EDITOR: LAURA CALLEJA Tel: (356) 21 382741-3, 21 382745-6 Website: www.maltatoday.com.mt E-mail: lcalleja@mediatoday.com.mt 3 gozotoday | FRIDAY • 13 MARCH 2026 NEWS CONTINUES FROM PAGE 1 Despite the growth, the av- erage length of stay declined slightly to 2.6 nights, when compared with the same peri- od a year earlier. Occupancy rates, however, improved. The net occupan- cy rate in Gozo and Comino increased by 4.3 percentage points to 42.8 per cent, reflect- ing higher usage of available accommodation capacity. Nationally, the tourism sector also recorded strong activity. Across Malta, 716,536 guests stayed in collective accommo- dation establishments during the fourth quarter, generating 2,960,096 nights. Four-star hotels accounted for the largest share of guest nights nationwide, represent- ing 49.7 per cent of the total. Four-star hotels accounted for largest share of over night guests in Gozo Hotels such as the Grand Hotel Gozo in Mgarr saw a rise in tourism at the end of 2025 CONTINUES FROM PAGE 1 Despite these objections, the Planning Authority issued a permit for the project in No- vember 2023. However, a few months later the permit was revoked after appeals by envi- ronmental organisations, in- cluding Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar, and other objectors. The case was subsequently sent back for reprocessing and required the preparation of a Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA). The NGOs said the Heritage Impact Assessment, commis- sioned by the developer and published in October 2024, raised what they described as "serious concerns." According to the organisa- tions, the report downplays the importance of an existing ver- nacular building located on the site and proposes reconstruct- ing only part of its façade while demolishing the historic struc- ture itself. The groups stressed that buffer zones are specifically intended to protect the broad- er cultural and visual context surrounding heritage sites. They warned that altering the landscape through new devel- opment could undermine the setting and integrity of the Ġgantija World Heritage Site. They also criticised the as- sessment for focusing on a limited number of viewpoints while overlooking wider visual connections between Gozo's prehistoric temple sites. Ac- cording to the NGOs, although the report concludes that the development would have only "neutral to minor" impacts, it fails to adequately assess cu- mulative impacts or the prece- dent that such approval could set for future development in the area. Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħ- jar has called for a genuinely independent Heritage Impact Assessment to ensure that the site's Outstanding Universal Value is fully protected. The organisation is also urging in- dividuals who had previously objected to the project to sub- mit renewed objections, warn- ing that a fresh round of plan- ning appeals could follow if the project is approved again. The case was discussed dur- ing a meeting of the Planning Authority board on Thursday. However, following a disa- greement regarding deadlines related to the case, the board postponed its decision and adjourned the hearing for six weeks. Environmental groups argue that if developments of this kind continue to be proposed within the buffer zone, there is a risk that the Ġgantija Tem- ples could ultimately lose their UNESCO World Heritage sta- tus. They warn that such a scenar- io could also affect the wider listing of Malta's megalithic temples, which collectively form one of the most impor- tant prehistoric heritage sites in the world. Buffer zones key to safeguarding heritage, NGO says Environmental NGOs noted that the site lies just 157 metres from the megalithic Ggantija Temples, one of Malta's most important prehistoric sites and part of the UNESCO-listed Megalithic Temples of Malta