After Amphora Media published a series of investigative articles, public attention turned to how short-term rental platforms like Airbnb and Booking.com were affecting local communities. Within a year, the Maltese government responded with new regulations to address the growing concerns.
In April 2026, the government approved the Tourism Accommodation Regulations under the Malta Travel and Tourism Services Act. The rules came into force in June. Among other changes, owners or operators of short-term rentals will now be required to affix a sign outside the property entrance, including the licence number and the name and contact number of a designated person available 24/7 to receive complaints and tackle related issues. In the case of properties forming part of a condominium, as soon as owners are issued with a short-let licence from the Malta Tourism Authority, they will be obliged to provide this information to the residential block administrators as well.
The reporting in Malta, which was led by Daiva Repečkaitė and Julian Bonnici, was part of a cross-border project titled Mediterranean Low-cost. Its focus highlighted how the multi-million short-lets market is largely managed by a handful of local property management companies and the lack of proper regulation led to the chaotic consequences of transient tourism. The stories included:
- Short lets in numbers: how tourist rentals reshaped Malta, Amphora Media, 01/10/2025,
- Lawless Lets: Unlicensed Short-Term Rentals Boom And Outpace Enforcement, Amphora Media, 02/10/2025
- Airbnb Barons: How A Handful Dominate Malta’s Multi-Million Euro Short-Let Market, Amphora Media, 03/10/2025
In some locations, nearly half of active short lets lacked a proper licence, which meant they were not contributing to supporting local services. As owners and property managers profited, they left towns to struggle with heaps of rubbish, which disrupted waste separation schedules, and populations exhausted by noise and unruly behaviour.
The impact cascade
Shortly after the investigation was published, the investigation was published on one of Malta's leading social media platforms and one of the journalists was interviewed on a national radio station about the findings.
Subsequently, the data sets compiled by the reporting team were raised within a Parliamentary Standing Committee, after Amphora Media discussed the data with an MP.
On 5 November, one month after publication, the government announced proposals to reform the short-term rental sector. These include creating ‘short-term’ rental zones, limiting the number of guests per property, and blacklisting unlicensed operators. The proposals were open for public consultation.
On the European level, over a month after the investigation came out, a Maltese MEP produced a draft report for a European Parliament committee titled ‘On enhancing connectivity, preserving cultural heritage, and driving local excellence in European tourism: destination management and regional tourism growth’. The document addresses short-term lets and uses descriptions that match the journalistic findings.
