Malta's Sustainability Indicators Toolkit & Action Plan for Tourism Satellite Account and Strategy

By project DETOCS

Published on 21 April 2025

Malta

About this good practice

Malta has produced its Tourism Strategy Document 2021-2030 and there was a need for a more data-driven approach to tourism governance that balances economic growth with environmental and social sustainability. Malta faces challenges related to high tourism volumes, resource consumption (water, electricity), and the protection of natural and cultural heritage.
The Tourism Sustainability Indicators (TSI) and Tourism Satellite Accounts (TSA) were created to enhance sustainable tourism planning. The indicators were inspired by best-practice indicators adopted internationally and tailor-made for Malta. The TSA is an internationally adopted framework used to measure tourism's economic impact within a country.

The practice achieves its objectives through:
• The calculations derived from the TSA Tables to provide a detailed picture of the economic significance and sectoral inter-relationships of tourism.
• Creating a set of TSIs to monitor key sustainability metrics such as energy use, water consumption, waste generation, and community well-being.
• Collaboration with the OECD under the EU’s Technical Support Instrument (TSI) to align Malta’s indicators with global best practices.
The main stakeholders are the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Tourism (MFT), the National Statistics Office (NSO), the Malta Tourism Authority (MTA), the European Commission (DG Reform), and the OECD.
Beneficiaries include policymakers, tourism businesses, local communities, and researchers.

Expert opinion

Tourism is a major part of Europe’s economy but also has a significant impact on the environment. TSIs and TSAs are valuable tools for ensuring that tourism development is both economically beneficially and socially responsible, and can help to inform robust strategy development, as with the Malta Tourism Strategy Document. Together, they enable governments and stakeholders to make informed decisions to the positive impact of tourism. The framework, developed by the UN, is widely replicable to other regions looking to tackle challenges related to sustainable tourism.

Simon Hunkin

Works at Interreg Europe Policy Learning Platform

Resources needed

Human resources: 8 MTA specialists working on fact-finding and stock-taking with experts and stakeholders.

Technical resources: International sustainability experts providing technical expertise

Financial resources: 45,000 Euro (2-day stakeholders consultation event and 150 person-hours)

Evidence of success

Tourism Satellite Accounts to clarify tourism’s economic inter-relationships.

Widening of tourism KPIs with emphasis on sustainability rather than volumes/values through OECD 37 sustainability indicators.

Enhanced data availability for decision-making on economic, environmental, and social tourism impacts.

Increased focus on renewable energy, sustainable water consumption and waste management in tourism establishments.

29 out of 37 indicators can be immediately collected as of 2025.

Potential for learning or transfer

This practice can serve as a model for other small island states or regions heavily dependent on tourism. The integration of sustainability indicators with economic satellite accounts provides a holistic approach to tourism management.
Key success factors include:
• Data-driven policymaking using real-time sustainability metrics.
• A clear focus on quality over volume, shifting the tourism model toward long-term sustainability.

Challenges for transfer include the need for robust national data collection systems and government commitment to integrating sustainability into tourism strategies.

Indicators were chosen based on international standards and local needs identified through extensive stakeholder engagement. Therefore, there exist potential transfer opportunities of the good practice example for Mediterranean and island economies facing similar tourism pressures.