Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1547380
5 gozotoday | FRIDAY • 30 OCTOBER 2026 NEWS €5 eco-contribution the Blue Lagoon. in the bid book. However, it was never mentioned during Cau- rana's budget speech. Shadow minister says Gozo has been overlooked Gozo shadow minister Frank Anthony Tabone said the is- land had been overlooked in the budget. He criti- cised the lack of a dedicated invest- ment plan and clear commit- ments on major projects such as a new hospi- tal, better roads, additional Gozo Channel vessels, an airstrip and improve- ments to Mġarr Harbour. Tabone warned that higher accommodation eco-contri- butions and tourist ferry fares could make holidays in Gozo more expensive, potentially discouraging Maltese families and affecting businesses that depend on domestic tourism. GTA warns higher charges could hurt Gozo tourism The Gozo Tourism Associa- tion (GTA) warned that high- er eco-contributions for short-let accom- modation and increased fer- ry fares could put Gozo at a disadvantage as a tourism d e s t i n a t i o n . It said around 72% of Gozo's tourist bed ca- pacity is in apart- ments, farmhouses and villas, meaning the €10 nightly charge for short lets, compared with €8 for hotels, would affect most visitors staying on the is- land. T The association also ques- tioned why revenue collected from Gozo's accommodation sector is not directly reinvest- ed in the island, and called for fairer charges and more invest- ment in connectivity and tour- ism infrastructure. Gozo Business Chamber calls for assessment of tourism costs The Gozo Business Chamber warned that higher accommo- dation eco-contributions and increased Gozo Channel fares could affect the island's com- petitiveness. The Gozo Chamber called for the combined impact on holi- day costs to be assessed. It ques- tioned why short-let accom- modation would face a higher nightly charge than hotels and called for tourism revenue gen- erated in Gozo to be reinvested directly in the island. The chamber also raised con- cerns about higher work permit fees for non-EU workers, given staffing shortages faced by some Gozitan businesses. It also called for progress on major projects including new Gozo Channel vessels, Mġarr Harbour expansion and the proposed rural airfield. The government will continue implementing the master plan for Gozo General Hospital, with plans to add nine outpatient clinics, open a room for minor procedures, expand operating theatres and establish a dedicated women's health area Expenditure Gozo Ministry €141.3 million Recurrent: €107.2 million Capital: €34.1 million Includes: €16.6 million for residential services in Gozo for older people and €1 million for Gozo Projects Ltd. Gozo Museum set to open in coming months THE Gozo Museum in Vic- toria is in its final stages of work and is expected to open to the public in the coming months, Gozo Min- ister Clint Camilleri has said. Replying to a parliamen- tary question by Nationalist MP Frank Anthony Tab- one, Camilleri said work was nearing completion, with display cases being installed to house around 1,000 arte- facts and other valuable ob- jects. The museum is being developed in the disused boys' Lyceum building, also known as the Ninu Cremona Complex. Camilleri described it as the first museum of its kind in Gozo, saying it would play a key role in Victoria's pro- gramme as European Capital of Culture in 2031. The museum project has been in the pipeline for years. Winning architectur- al designs for the develop- ment were unveiled in 2016, while planning approval for the conversion of the former Boys' Lyceum was granted in May 2018. Construction and restora- tion work began following the laying of the foundation stone in June 2020. The project is intended to bring together Gozo's her- itage and history under one roof, with the collection of artefacts forming a central part of the visitor experi- ence. The Gozo Museum in Victoria is in its final stages of work and is expected to open to the public in the coming months, Gozo Minister Clint Camilleri says The winning concepts of the Gozo Museum