Swieqi residents go straight to Airbnb, Booking.com to tackle troublemakers

Proactive Swieqi residents on Friday “successfully engaged” with both booking.com and Airbnb to tackle issues with problematic rentals in their area, Momentum said.

In a statement, Momentum general secretary Mark Camilleri Gambin said he was “thrilled” that both platforms “have agreed to help” with enforcement on their booking systems.

He added the platforms have been given the official list of Malta Tourism Authority licensed properties in Swieqi.

Residents in the area have long complained about misbehaving tourists staying in short-term rentals. In May, an Austrian tourist was handed a suspended sentence after admitting to walking around Swieqi naked, save for a pair of slip-on shoes and a cap. 

Last year a group of tourists renting an Airbnb were caught on CCTV camera urinating in public on a residential street, as residents and Swieqi mayor decried a string of incidents of anti-social behaviour including widespread vandalism.

“This is a good step forward and shows what can be achieved when a community works together,” Camilleri Gambin said.

While booking.com has not given any commitment, the news is being hailed by Momentum as a “breakthrough” and a “significant victory” for community action.

“While we maintain that the primary responsibility lies with the authorities to take this kind of initiative, we applaud the efforts of these hardworking residents who are safeguarding their locality,” Camilleri Gambin said.

Meanwhile, a national petition organized by Momentum to address noise and waste has surpassed 1,700 signatures as the party urged resident in impacted areas such as Marsascala, Valletta and Qawra, to continue applying the “necessary pressure”.