Tourism Minister Clayton Bartolo has denied securing favourable treatment for his hometown and electoral district through a Malta Tourism Authority-funded fireworks display in Mellieħa for New Year's Eve.

Bartolo said that a total of 21 localities received funding for Christmas-related activities, including the three cities of Cottonera, which will also have a fireworks display.

“Help has been spread across the entire country,” he told Times of Malta. "Not only Mellieħa received assistance."  

Questions about the MTA-funded Mellieħa event were stoked earlier this week when it emerged that while there will be fireworks in Mellieħa, the skies will remain dark in capital city Valletta.

It is highly unusual for New Year's Eve festivities in the capital city to not be accompanied by fireworks.

Valletta Cultural Agency boss Jason Micallef told Times of Malta that Bartolo's ministry had told the agency that there was no money left to sponsor fireworks there, only to later announce a display in Mellieħa.  

"It is disappointing because the fireworks display had become an annual part of a massive event that was attracting international attention,” Micallef said.

“Every major capital city in the world ushers in the new year with fireworks, after all, and Malta had found its place among them,” he added.

Bartolo: 'It's not the ministry's job'

Speaking on Saturday, Bartolo - who hails from Mellieħa and previously served on the town's local council - argued that the MTA had funded another event in Valletta this year, Fairyland.   

Pressed by a Net TV journalist about the failure to ensure fireworks in Valletta, Bartolo said that it is the Valletta Cultural Agency that is responsible for the event.

“It is not the ministry’s responsibility for there to be fireworks in the Valletta,” Bartolo said.  

Up until last year, the Valletta Cultural Agency (VCA), which organises New Year’s Eve celebrations, received funding from the tourism ministry through the Malta Tourism Authority to host the fireworks display.

Minister visits Hotel Phoenicia 

The tourism minister fielded questions after visiting the Hotel Phoenecia together with MTA chairman Gavin Gulia, authority CEO Carlo Micallef and Malta Hotels and Restaurant Association chairman Tony Zahra.

Guests of the high-end hotel will enjoy a fireworks display on the back terrace a few minutes after the stroke of midnight, Phoenecia general manager Robyn Pratt said. 

The display has been organised by the hotel, she said.

Pratt acted as a tour guide of the seventy-five-year-old luxury hotel, taking the media and the tourism quartet of Bartolo, Gulia, Micallef, and Zahra to the kitchen, housekeeping station and front desk of the five-star hotel. 

Bartolo was all smiles as he met hotel staff Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

Bartolo was all smiles as he thanked the staff for working on New Year’s EVE. 

As they toured the premises, the hotel's general manager said this month was the best December in the hotel’s history.

Talking to the media Bartolo said that tourism is recovering quickly in Malta. 

Tourism this Christmas season mirrors the last per-pandemic year, 2019, the minister said. Despite restrictions, Malta surpassed its target of 1.8 million tourists in 2022.