With passenger traffic dropping by 93 per cent in March, the Malta International Airport is calling for an app that would facilitate travel and encourage more tourists to fly to the island.

The local app would allow passengers to upload all necessary documents, including a locator form, a health declaration form, COVID test results or vaccine certificates for verification by the authorities before they fly into Malta.

In turn, this would give incoming passengers a heightened sense of safety and security and allow for a more seamless travel experience, while contributing to the restoration of consumer confidence, the airport suggested on Thursday.

In a statement, the MIA said that 32,033 people travelled through the airport last month.

This translated to a drop of 93 per cent when compared to the same month in 2019, reflecting the low consumer confidence that is still being faced by the aviation industry a year into the pandemic.

"A rapid vaccination roll-out among the local population together with the government’s plan for the restart of tourism on June 1 bodes well for the second half of the year.

"However, the successful revival of air travel is also highly dependent on the restoration of consumer confidence in the industry in the build-up to summer," the airport said.

According to MIA CEO Alan Borg, the fact that Malta is one of the European leaders in immunising its population is the island's strongest selling point with airlines and travellers looking for a safe destination this summer.

"While commending the local health authority’s work with the vaccination roll-out, I would also like to stress the importance of technology at this critical point in our preparations for the safe restart of tourism."