Vouchers being given to students travelling to Malta to study English may be used in restaurants and tourist establishments, Tourism Minister Clayton Bartolo said on Friday.

The government had announced in May that every student coming to Malta to study English will be handed  a €10 voucher for every day spent on the island. To be eligible, students must spend a minimum of 15 nights in Malta, while the maximum amount they can receive will be capped at 30 nights, or €300. 

The vouchers can start to be used on June 7.

Explaining how the system will work during a press conference on Friday,  Bartolo said the Malta Tourism Authority will distribute the vouchers to around 40 English Language schools, from where they will be passed on to the students. 

“We want to ensure that the students arrive in Malta before they are given the vouchers," he said.

Economy Minister Silvio Schembri, who also addressed the conference, said the student vouchers can be used in restaurants and tourist establishments including bars, diving schools, and restaurants.

"This investment will benefit about 4,700 businesses," he said. 

The student vouchers are valid until the end of this year, or when the allocated amount is used up, whichever comes first. 

On the €100 worth of consumer vouchers, Schembri said more than 100,000 residents of the 450,000 eligible had signed up online. 

More information about the student vouchers can be obtained on tel: 8007 4904. Businesses have a dedicated helpline - 8007 4950.