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Malta has long been an InsideFlyer UK favourite. I’ve spent many happy months there, and Tom lived on the island for years – he even wrote a ’10 Reasons to Visit Malta’ guide, way back in the earliest days of InsideFlyer.

With an economy that relies heavily on tourism, Malta is obviously extremely keen to see travel return. So much so, in fact, that the Government there is launching a scheme to effectively pay people to come and visit, once it reopens in June.

What’s the deal?

At a recent news conference, the Minister for Tourism and Consumer Protection, Clayton Bartolo, announced the following aid scheme for ‘Free Individual Travel’:

Funded by the Government and by the hotels themselves, tourists who book hotels direct (rather than as a package deal) will receive:

• a 200 euro rebate at 5* hotels
• a 150 euro rebate at 4* hotels
• a 100 euro rebate at 3* hotels
• Stays on the island of Gozo will receive 10% more

In order for a tourist to benefit from this financial aid they must stay three days or more.

The hotels should be publicising the offer in the coming weeks.

Can we go?

The UK Government is due to release the details of its travel ‘traffic light’ policy for summer travel very soon.

Given that Malta seems to be running quite a successful vaccine roll out and infections there now appear to be under control, I would expect it to face lighter restrictions than many other parts of Europe.

Bottom line

I need no encouragement to head back to Malta, but if you’ve never been before, this summer might be a great time to finally check it out.

Images: Marriott and IHG