Around 10,000 operators, including catering establishments, accommodation and travel agents will not have to pay their licence fee to the Malta Tourism Authority this year.

Tourism Minister Clayton Bartolo said the measures would save businesses a total of €4 million.

Operators who will benefit from the scheme include hotels, guesthouses, restaurants, cafes, bars, travel agencies, buses and language schools. 

Bartolo clarified that the fees will not be postponed, but will be completely cancelled for the year.

The suspension of the MTA licence fee is one of a number of schemes and incentives the government have announced the past few weeks, as the country gears up to begin marketing the country for tourism by June 1.

"It has been a difficult couple of weeks for many tourist operators, and we are here to continue supporting such businesses and to ensure that this summer will be a successful one," Bartolo said. 

He said that next week the ministry will be announcing further incentives and schemes, especially for English Language Schools, who have been particularly badly hit.

"We will continue supporting and helping different operators, as the worker is at the heart of this government, and we know that this has been a difficult period for everyone, especially those workers in the tourism industry," he said. 

Bartolo said that the government has been focusing on June 1 for tourism because it will coincide with a stronger push on marketing Malta to tourists. 

"We want to ensure that we have a strong tourist industry and that we will have the results to show our success."

In a statement, the Gozo Tourism Association welcomed the announcement and called for other government authorities and entities to follow the example.