Sliema residents call for boat party permit revocations

The Sliema Residents Association issued a statement on Saturday accusing boat party operators of avoiding accountability for nightly disorder along the Sliema seafront. The association described intoxicated young tourists disembarking from party boats, shouting and appearing in various states of undress as a daily occurrence in Sliema harbour, not an occasional disturbance. It characterised the situation as "untenable", stating it is causing significant distress to both residents and visitors.

The association thanked the Police Rapid Intervention Unit (RIU) for its effectiveness when deployed, but noted that disorder resumes as soon as officers leave. It further alleged that boat operators and captains appear to know in advance when enforcement will or will not be present. The association argued that public funds are being used to police the disorder while boat party operators "rake in millions".

It called for a permit-revocation system modelled on driving licence rules, under which operators and captains found in breach of maritime regulations would lose their permits. The Sliema local council has separately stated that existing measures are "no longer sufficient" to address anti-social behaviour linked to the boat party industry. The Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association (MHRA) has also called for substantially higher on-the-spot fines for anti-social behaviour.

On-the-spot fines were doubled to a minimum of €50 earlier in 2025. The Malta Tourism Authority (MTA) previously ordered the closure of a short-let apartment block linked to disruptive foreign visitors after licensing breaches were uncovered. Local media documented a violent altercation along the Sliema seafront in mid-July 2025 that residents said followed the same pattern of disorder described by the association.

The association stated that the disorder is undermining residents' quality of life – a promise it noted was featured prominently in recent election campaigns – and is also damaging Malta's reputation as a tourist destination. It called on authorities to strengthen the law and hold both boat operators and captains accountable.