Profile of MHRA

The Malta Hotels & Restaurants Association (MHRA) was formed in 1958.  The promoters’ intention was to unite all those who own, manage or operate a hotel or restaurant, and to counsel and represent them.  The industry, then just a fledgling, desperately required unity of purpose and strategy.

The newly formed Association sought incessantly to direct successive administrations towards recognizing the benefits of a successful tourism industry.  It also worked hard in the interests of its members, who required the umbrella protection of a strong and cohesive union to represent them.

As the major Association in the tourism sector, the MHRA represents the interests of its members on several important national policy making bodies, including the board of the Malta Tourism Authority and all its directorates, the Institute of Tourism Studies and the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development.  In addition, the Association maintains close contact with government departments and ministries, keeping them aware of the problems facing this industry from time to time. The Association’s endeavours and achievements assure it a place amongst the more important constituted bodies in Malta.  Its contribution towards the improvement of the industry remains continuous and valuable.  The vast majority of hotels and restaurants in the Maltese Islands, which are its members, confirm its place of importance amongst Malta’s employers’ unions.

Today, MHRA has also a good number of Associate Partners whose activities are closely linked to the Tourism Sector. Their support is invaluable in sustaining MHRA as a strong lobby group to ensure the growth of the tourism activity. Besides, they benefit from a number of incentives to improve their particular business. The Tourism Industry is today considered all over the world as the motor behind each country’s economy and therefore it operators is highly competitive market place. Malta needs to be proactive to continue to build a sustainable tourism industry and this can only be achieved through unity of all the players in the Industry working in harmony to reach the required growth through a common goal. MHRA aims to achieve this goal.

Organization Framework

The MHRA is managed by a Council that includes representatives from the various stakeholder groups and social partners so to ensure that MHRA listens to the needs of all those involved in the hospitality industry. The hands-on running of the Association is left within the framework of the Permanent Staff which include the CEO, the Office Manager and the Secretary.