Dozens of illegal ticket booths occupying the Sliema promenade will soon be removed following a new by-law introduced by the local council.

Operators of the booths selling all types of tourism products, from cruises to hop-on, hop-off tours and watersports rides, have already been warned that the booths will be cleared by the end of the year.

The Shift found that some 40 booths were placed in less than two kilometres of the promenade between Gzira and Tigne. Cardboard and wooden adverts in the space around the booths further block pedestrian access.

According to the Planning Authority, these booths are all illegal, and permits were never issued. Yet the government, under both administrations, has ignored the issue.

This encouraged more illegalities, with some operators even closing their permanent sales offices, eliminating the need to pay rent, and instead starting sellingtickets from illegal booths placed on the promenade.

Another booth left unattended, used for free advertising.

The four main cruise operators – Captain Morgan, Luzzu, Hera, and Supreme Cruises – occupy most illegal booths. Others who don’t even have a mooring permit in the area operate kiosks supplied with electricity despite their illegal status.

Contacted by The Shift, Sliema Mayor John Pillow said that all these ticket booths were illegal. Recognising that the problem has been in place for decades, he said that with the collaboration of the authorities, particularly the Lands Authority and the Malta Tourism Authority, the booths issue “should be history soon”.

“A by-law was recently approved to disallow these booths and kiosks. Operators were already told that all kiosks would be cleared soon and that each would have one booth. This will make the place look better and the operators better organised,” he said.

When asked if the operators agreed with the move, Pillow said that some collaborated while others resisted. But he insisted that the area’s reorganisation would be implemented soon.

Sliema Mayor John Pillow.

“This will be done in the coming weeks. Operators must understand that they can’t work in an illegal environment. They should be more organised, and this is in their interest. It’s a win-win situation. No one needs ten different boots to sell the same tickets,” Pillow added.

Complaints about the issue have been ongoing for many years. Various ministers have promised to reorganise the area several times, but their plans have remained shelved.

Pillow insisted that the reform would be implemented this time and that Tourism Minister Clayton Bartolo and Lands Minister Zrinzo Azzopardi have committed to supporting its implementation.