Malta should reintroduce its €100 voucher scheme in December, the president of the hotel and restaurants association has proposed.

In comments to L-Orizzont, Tony Zahra said the success of the government’s scheme exceeded his expectations and proposed that it is reintroduced in December to coincide with Christmas celebrations.

“Although we don’t have the exact figures, we believe that around 30% of the vouchers were used in the first five weeks since they were issued, which amounts to €10 million spend at restaurants and hotels,” he said. “This is very encouraging and helped our members see an increase in their clientele and a boost to their income.”

A survey recently carried out by the Association of Catering Establishments (ACE) showed that a large majority of the organisation’s 377 members deemed the government-issued vouchers crucial for them to remain open.

A spokesperson for the ACE said that on average, 60% of the organisation’s members’ revenue was generated through such vouchers throughout the past few weeks. He also noted that the vouchers contributed to around 80% of the revenue of restaurants in the south.

“ACE encourages the Government to open discussions for other measures in order to prepare for the difficult months ahead,” the association said.

“With the experience of vouchers and wage supplements, one can create even more positive stimulus for local and tourist consumer consumptions.”

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