Bookings by British tourists have “spiked” over the past two weeks and arrivals from the UK should be at par with those of last year’s, Julia Farrugia Portelli said on Thursday.
Answering questions on BBC Breakfast, the Tourism Minister said Malta had “good ties with the British government and statistics are showing us that we had a spike in the past two weeks.”
“Travel agents in the UK told us that we have practically reached the same level of bookings by British tourists as we had last year,” she added.
Farrugia Portelli was asked what would happen if tourists who make it through the airport temperature check fall ill at the hotel.
The tourists would be isolated until the arrival of the medical team. “All the patients will be cared for in an appropriate manner,” Farrugia Portelli added.
Asked how long they would have to isolate for, Farrugia Portelli said all hotels had a direct line with the health authorities and the mechanism will kick off as soon as they are alerted about a suspect COVID-19 case.
The first commercial flights to Malta in three-and-a-half months touched down on Wednesday as the country reopened its borders to 21 countries.
In June, Prime Minister Robert Abela had said that restrictions on all flight destinations would be lifted on July 15.
Passengers arriving and departing from Malta are being monitored more closely for temperature checks.
Superintendent of Public Health Charmaine Gauci has said anyone detected with fever will not be allowed to fly and will be tested for COVID-19.
Tourists will have to stay at the airport’s clinic as a precaution until the results are out. Each patient will be assessed on a case by case basis.
No one tested so far
So far, no testing was needed, Prof Gauci told Times of Malta on Thursday morning.
Asked whether the number of days that tourists need to be quarantined for will also be assessed individually, Gauci said that the protocol for positive cases included repeat testing.
Meanwhile, negotiations are still underway as Britain's government has not yet decided whether to include Malta on its ‘air bridge’ list of countries which will be exempt from a 14-day quarantine for incoming travellers.
The British High Commission in Malta has told Times of Malta that the matter was still under review.