Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1543912
MALTA International Airport CEO Alan Borg believes the impact of the Iran war on Malta's tourism market depends solely on how long the conflict drags on. In an interview at the MIA's lux- urious VIP lounge, he says such events remind him of the fragility of the air travel industry, as was exemplified in 2020 with the COV- ID-19 pandemic. Borg is speaking with me a few weeks after announcing a massive expansion project, which will give MIA a new 6,000sq.m terminal. The development will allow Malta's only airport to handle some 2,500 departing travellers per hour. Borg is unfazed when I ask him how this investment, meant to ca- ter for more and more travellers, fits in with the recently launched Malta Vision 2050, which puts an emphasis on quality tourism rather than volume. He explains that the expansion and other upcoming projects seek to improve travellers' experiences by offering them what he describes as an authentic Maltese product while ensuring they feel more com- fortable. But Borg's vision transcends the boundaries of the airport he runs. He believes the country should fol- low suit by offering a more authen- tic Maltese experience for tourists by ensuring that every aspect of a holiday on the islands is the best it can be. Alan Borg: 'Iran war's impact on Malta depends on how long it will last' Malta International Airport boss Alan Borg says there is still uncertainty over how war in the Middle East will impact Malta's tourism. So far, he tells Matthew Farrugia, the numbers are in Malta's favour 4 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 15 MARCH 2026 INTERVIEW