Malta has been included in England’s ‘air bridge’ list of 50 countries that will be exempt from a 14-day quarantine for incoming travellers, following government-to-government negotiations.
England’s 'air bridge' system classifies countries in one of three categories – green, amber or red – according to how well they are judged to have controlled COVID-19.
Travellers from countries classified as 'green' or 'amber' will not need to spend 14 days in isolation upon arriving in England. Malta has been green-lighted.
According to British Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, finalising the list of countries had been delayed in the hope that the four UK nations could reach a joint decision.
The list of exemptions would be kept "under constant review", so that if the health risks increased, self-isolation measures could be re-introduced.
Malta's inclusion should incentivise English tourists to visit.
Both the Tourism Ministry and the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association were confident of the country’s inclusion on the list on the basis of its health track record and the way it had tackled the pandemic.
The MHRA had pushed and supported the ministry and the Malta Tourism Authority to get the island on the UK’s safe-travel countries list, although it acknowledged that its exclusion would have been a “setback not a disaster”, given that the British market today represents 30 per cent of visitors.
“After successfully controlling the virus outbreak, with the result that Malta is now one of the safest countries in the world, it is ready to start welcoming tourists from 22 destinations,” the Tourism Ministry had said, envisaging no reason why it should not be included in the list.
The island is 'geared up' - Julia Farrugia Portelli
Minister Julia Farrugia Portelli highlighted this during a BBC interview on Thursday, where she was asked how she thought the Maltese would feel knowing that the UK’s coronavirus infection rate was significantly higher than Malta’s and was also the worst in Europe.
Farrugia Portelli insisted the island was “geared up” with “mechanisms” in place, focusing on the peace of mind of the travellers to Malta, when asked what would happen to guests and staff if tourists fell ill once at their hotel.
All decisions have been based on scientific evidence and the government is committed to further open up from July 15, the ministry had said.
“Such responsible planning, together with the vision of our tourism operators and the resilience of our workers, will be key to the success of our country and its tourism sector.”
Meanwhile, bookings by British tourists have “spiked” over the past two weeks and arrivals from the UK should be at par with last year’s.
After three-and-a-half months, Malta reopened its borders to commercial flights from 21 countries on Wednesday. Passengers arriving and departing from Malta are being monitored more closely for temperature checks.