1. Scope
The following are the Terms and Conditions for participation in the Malta Tourism Awards organised by the Malta Tourism Authority, hereinafter referred to as “the MTA”.
2. Definitions
“Awards” refers to the Malta Tourism Awards organised by the MTA.
“Eligible Business or Company” refers to an operation within the Maltese Tourism Industry which is actively and fully paid licensed by MTA or by any other competent National Government entity, and/or carrying an active MTA Quality Assurance seal, at the time of submission of the Nomination Form.
An eligible business or company may be an individual establishment or part of a consortium or group of companies.
“Entry and Closing Dates” refers to the Tourism Award dates published on the Malta Tourism Observatory website indicating the opening and closing of submission dates.
“Malta Tourism Awards” refers to the awards being organised by the MTA in order to showcase and honour the best local tourism service providers as well as promote, encourage and reward tourism quality service.
“Nomination” refers to the online form that is to be completed as the entry submission using the Malta Tourism Observatory website.
“Nominee” refers to the business and/or the individual who has been nominated for a selected award.
“Selection Committee” shall be a Committee specifically appointed by the MTA for the purpose of the Malta Tourism Awards.
“Data Supported Evaluation” means the component of the judging process that uses structured insights derived from publicly available feedback on recognised online platforms, applied on a category basis and combined with the Selection Committee’s assessment.
“Recognised Online Platform” means a public, third party service that follows an established, credible and standardised process for collecting and publishing guest feedback (e.g., star ratings and/or written reviews). Personal websites, private pages, and platforms without a credible review process are excluded.
“Official Profile” means the nominated business or company’s verified profile on a Recognised Online Platform that accurately represents the organisation being nominated.
“Data Evaluation Period” means online reviews/ratings dated 1 January 2025 to 31 December 2025 (inclusive).
3. Submitting an Entry
The eligible business or company submitting an entry is automatically agreeing to be bound by the Terms and Conditions set for the Malta Tourism Awards.
Only an eligible business or company can submit an entry, and this by the relevant closing date as published on the Malta Tourism Observatory website.
4. Eligibility
Submissions for the Responsible Tourism Development Award must be related to an investment that has been carried out by an eligible business or company during the year 2025. For this Award the applicant must indicate whether the nomination represents its own establishment, or whether this is on behalf of a consortium or group of companies. Any involved party needs to be an eligible business or company. An eligible business or company can only submit one nomination.
Submission for the Tourism Worker of the Year Award must be related to an employee’s performance carried out during the year 2025 working in an eligible business or company. Only an eligible business or company can submit a nomination for this Award. Only one employee per eligible business or company can be nominated. For micro-businesses, often run single-handedly or by a couple of individuals, owners are allowed to nominate themselves.
The Selection Committee reserves the right in its sole discretion to disqualify any nomination entry which the MTA has reason to believe may have breached any of the Terms and Conditions. This including the breach of any of the eligibility requirements or the engagement in any unlawful, fraudulent, misleading, deceptive, or other improper misconduct that may jeopardise the fair and proper conduct of the Malta Tourism Awards.
The Selection Committee accepts no responsibility for any entries lost in transit or not received by the closing time due to technical disruptions or any other reason beyond the control of the MTA.
Individuals with eligible nominations will be extended an invitation to attend the Awards event.
5. Entry into the Awards
By submitting a Nomination Form for the Responsible Tourism Development Award, the applicant confirms that he/she is in agreement with all parties associated with the project that the submission is making reference to.
By submitting a Nomination Form for the Tourism Worker of the Year Award, the applicant confirms that he/she is in agreement with all the parties associated with the Nominee’s employment and the employee.
By submitting a Nomination Form for the Special Theme Recognition, the applicant confirms that he/she is in agreement with all parties associated with the project that the submission is making reference to.
The Applicant must have all the necessary rights required by law to submit the entry and shall be responsible that all the information submitted is true, current and complete, up to the date of submission.
All details are to be submitted at application stage. Applications which are not duly filled will not be considered.
Applicants have the facility to save their applications as draft for further editing. Once officially submitted, no further editing is permitted to the application. Any applications still saved as draft versions following the closing date will not reach the MTA and will not participate in the evaluation process.
Any claim relating to the Nomination must be backed up with sufficient evidence of such claim. Additional data or information may be requested at the discretion of the Selection Committee during the selection process.
All information provided in the Nomination Form will be treated with the strictest confidence. No information will be disclosed to third parties, other than those involved in the running and selection of the Awards, without the prior written consent of the applicant.
The MTA reserves the right to use the Nominee’s name, photo and company logo for promotional purposes of the Tourism Awards. The name and photo of the Nominee as well as the logo could be used in the exact form provided by the Nominee.
6. Entry and Closing Dates
The Selection Committee reserves the right to extend or vary the entry period if required.
The entry and the closing dates will be announced on the Awards page of the Malta Tourism Observatory website www.mtobservatory.org/awards
7. Selection
Selection Committees will be appointed by the MTA and will be composed of representatives of the local tourism industry and other public entities.
Members of the Selection Committee will sign a confidentiality agreement and will be expected to be as fair and transparent as possible in the choices made.
For the Responsible Tourism Development Award, there will be one winner and one runner-up per eligible sector. Only one proposal can be submitted per eligible business or company for this entry and the proposal has to be implemented for the benefit of the establishment’s tourism facility / service.
The evaluation will incorporate evaluation by the Selection Committee as well as data supported evaluation of reviews. Nominees are ranked within their award category using category appropriate metrics, then combined with the Selection Committee’s assessment to determine final outcomes.
High level data supported evaluation to focus on:
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Official Presence – having a verified and accessible profile on trusted online review platforms;
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Volume and Consistency of Feedback – the number and regularity of reviews received;
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Star Rating – the overall average rating adjusted for review count;
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Responsiveness – how promptly and constructively guest reviews are addressed;
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Sentiment – the tone and detail in visitor feedback that captures the full guest experience.
Specific calculation settings and weightings for each sector are set in the methodology adopted by the MTA.
Use of Third Party Data & Integrity:
Only reviews within the data evaluation period will count, using official profiles verified through a data integrity process. Duplicate, unofficial, or manipulated profiles or reviews will be excluded, and suspected review manipulation will result in score adjustments or disqualification. The MTA is not liable for third-party platform issues, and post-period data review edits or deletions will not be taken into consideration during the evaluation of the 2025 award.
For the Tourism Worker of the Year Award there will be one winner and one runner-up per eligible sector. Only one employee nomination can be submitted by an eligible business or company for this award which needs to fall under one of the listed sectors permitted for this Award.
Whilst the winning employee for the Tourism Worker of the Year Award will receive a trophy, his/her immediate team will benefit from a team-building session, providing an opportunity for the team to celebrate their colleague's achievement fostering growth and collaboration. Terms and Conditions apply for this incentive offered by the MTA in collaboration with the ITS. *
*A maximum of 10 participants for each category winner can benefit from the team-building activity being offered.
For micro-businesses, often run single-handedly or by a couple of individuals, owners are allowed to nominate themselves for the Tourism Worker of the Year Award. They must include supporting reviews and testimonials from clients and/or stakeholders to ensure fair recognition of their efforts and accomplishments. Winning employees from micro-businesses will be rewarded with a trophy and an industry-specific training opportunity to assist in their Continuous Professional Development. Terms and Conditions apply for this incentive offered by the MTA in collaboration with the ITS.
The Selection Committee members, reserve the right to allocate no award in any or all categories or sectors if, in their opinion, the nominations are of insufficient merit.
The Selection Committee's decisions are final and irrevocable.
There will be no private communication between the individual Selection Committee members and applicants, nominees or any of their representatives regarding judging criteria, process, and/or decisions. The Selection Committee reserves the right to officially establish communication with applicants should there be the necessity to hold interviews with shortlisted companies or individuals during the selection process. The evaluation process is monitored by a notary.
The Selection Process will commence after the closing date.
8. Awards
The Malta Tourism Awards consist of the following:
Category A: Responsible Tourism Development Award Category
Sectors
Nominations can be submitted in one of the following categories:
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Responsible Tourism Development- Best English Language Learning
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Responsible Tourism Development – Best Diving Centre
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Responsible Tourism Development- Best Domestic Transport (including Land and Sea)
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Responsible Tourism Development - Best Visitor Attraction
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Responsible Tourism Development - Best Travel and Tourism
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Responsible Tourism Development - Best Catering Establishment
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Responsible Tourism Development – Best Accommodation (<75 bedrooms)
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Responsible Tourism Development- Best Accommodation (>75 bedrooms)
Criteria
Submissions must satisfy a minimum of one of the following criteria:
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Smart Tourism and Digitalisation;
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Human Resources Training and Upskilling;
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Sustainability and Decarbonisation;
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Innovation and Future Readiness;
Submissions that satisfy multiple criteria will receive a higher ranking.
Furthermore, evaluation in this year’s edition of the Awards shall also cover the Digital Presence of eligible businesses who submit nominations under the category of the Responsible Tourism Development Award.
Category B: Tourism Worker of the Year Award Category
Sectors
The following sectors are eligible for nomination:
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English Language Learning (Schools / Host Families)
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Diving Centre
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Visitor Attraction
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Travel and Tourism Services (Incoming Travel Agencies, Destination Management Companies and Excursion Organisers)
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Tourist Guides
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Domestic Transport (including Land and Sea)
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Catering
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Accommodation (<75 bedrooms)
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Accommodation (>75bedrooms)
Criteria
Submissions that satisfy multiple criteria from the following list, will receive a higher ranking:
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The worker has shown exemplary performance in daily operations in 2025;
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The worker has exhibited exceptional customer service skills, going above and beyond to ensure positive experiences for tourists and visitors in 2025;
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The worker has demonstrated leadership, creativity and teamwork in 2025;
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The worker carried out commendable actions, going beyond the call of duty both within the workplace and through external contributions such as participation in CSR programmes, voluntary work with registered NGOs, or other notable initiatives in 2025.
9. Recognition
Category C: Special Theme Category
Scope
This category recognises and celebrates newly emerging, rapidly expanding segments within the Maltese tourism offer, giving prominence to innovative, niche areas that contribute to the diversification and enrichment of Malta’s tourism landscape. Such segments may include new tourism products, specialised services, unique experiences or novel approaches to hospitality and destination promotion.
Eligibility
To be eligible, applicants must demonstrate sustained and measurable growth over a minimum of three consecutive years, supported by clear evidence of consistent development. Nominations for this category can be received from individuals, associations, registered NGOs and tourism operators directly involved in pushing forward the specific theme under review particularly to tourists.
Criteria
Evaluation will consider the originality and distinctiveness of the tourism segment, its contribution to the competitiveness of the Maltese tourism industry and the extent to which it addresses growing market demand while delivering a positive visitor experience.
All eligible nominations in this category will be presented with a certificate and the nominated initiatives will be highlighted during the Awards Ceremony, which will serve as a platform to celebrate this Special Theme.
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Special Theme Recognition 2025: LGBTIQ+ Tourism
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Special Theme Recognition 2026: Faith & Religious Tourism
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Special Theme Recognition 2027: Screen Tourism
10. Awards Evaluation Criteria and Weightings
Category A: Responsible Tourism Development Award Nominations for each of the following:
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Responsible Tourism Development- Best English Language Learning
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Responsible Tourism Development – Best Diving Centre
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Responsible Tourism Development- Best Domestic Transport (including Land and Sea)
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Responsible Tourism Development - Best Visitor Attraction
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Responsible Tourism Development - Best Travel and Tourism
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Responsible Tourism Development - Best Catering Establishment
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Responsible Tourism Development – Best Accommodation (<75 bedrooms)
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Responsible Tourism Development- Best Accommodation (>75 bedrooms)
Criteria Table
Total Maximum Score – 55; Total Minimum Score required – 35
Category B: Tourism Worker of the Year Award Nominations in the following sectors:
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English Language Learning (Schools / Host Families)
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Diving Centre
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Visitor Attraction
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Travel and Tourism Services (Incoming Travel Agencies, Destination Management Companies and Excursion Organisers)
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Tourist Guides
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Domestic Transport (including Land and Sea)
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Catering
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Accommodation (<75 bedrooms)
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Accommodation (>75bedrooms)
Total Maximum Score – 60; Total Minimum Score required – 35
11. Final Stage and Announcement of Winners
All eligible applicants will be invited to the ceremony which will take place in April 2026. The Selection Committee will shortlist a number of nominations from each Category. The winner from each Category will be announced during the awards ceremony.
Applicants may be expected to collaborate by providing any required information that may be needed by the Selection Committee. They may also be required to attend an interview with the Selection Committee.
Nominees and nominations that are considered as ineligible will be informed via email.