A Great Second Revenue Management Meet-Up
Following the strong turnout and positive feedback from the first revenue meet-up held in May, we were delighted to host the second edition last week at the Urban Valley Resort & Spa.
Before we dive into the recap, we’d like to extend a special thank-you to Urban Valley Resort & Spa for hosting us and taking care of everyone with excellent wine and great food.
Just like the first session, an experienced group of revenue specialists and commercial managers came together for another candid and grounded conversation, focusing heavily on recent performance and what lies ahead.
Q3 Highlights & Headwinds
We opened the discussion with a review of the Q3 results. One clear theme emerged: youth travellers dominated Malta’s market this quarter. Their disproportionate presence noticeably impacted higher-end properties—particularly 4- and 5-star hotels—as many younger guests opted instead for 3-star accommodation or short-term rentals. While this segment is still essential to fill certain types of properties, Malta now needs a stronger strategy to attract higher-quality markets.
Adding to the challenges, July and August were difficult months due to flight-capacity issues. Seats were increasingly taken up by youth-oriented charter flights and event traffic. The ripple effect was reduced availability for more diversified segments and increased pressure on rates and occupancy at the higher end.
Although the Malta Tourism Authority (MTA) is no longer actively promoting large youth-event traffic, Malta’s brand image will take time to recover. Some experts at the table estimate a two-year period for this recovery. The group also discussed how the MTA plans to enforce new measures to moderate such influxes and protect the destination’s wider positioning.
Another recurring topic was the rapid increase in bed-nights entering the market. Every week, a considerable number of new rooms—both hotel and alternative accommodation—are coming online. With more beds chasing the same guest pool, pricing across segments remains under pressure.
On a positive note, we also discussed the launch of new direct flight routes between Malta and New York. These routes hold strong potential to attract new clientele and diversify inbound demand beyond youth and event-led segments. The group agreed that this development could play a key role in reshaping the demand mix in upcoming seasons.
Focused Topic
During the first Revenue Meet-Up, the group showed interest in learning more about Generative AI.
This time, one of our members presented an LLM-powered SEO tool developed by his team. The tool analyses a website’s score, identifies issues, and provides step-by-step recommended solutions to improve visibility in AI-driven searches. Everyone present was given access to use the tool free of charge for a limited time.
The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, so much so that comments and conversations are still buzzing in our WhatsApp group.
We are planning to keep the same focused topic for the next revenue meet up in 2026.
And To Conclude
A big thank-you to everyone who participated and contributed their real-world experience. Your transparency and insights are what make this forum so valuable.
If you couldn’t make it this time, don’t worry, we’ll be organising the next session soon. You’re always welcome to suggest topics or join the conversation.
Contact us on : info@hospitality-malta.com
