Malta, the United States, Maldives and Israel are rumoured to be the first overseas destinations to open to British tourists this summer, as the UK government looks to prioritise countries with high COVID-19 vaccination rates.

According to UK newspaper The Times, British ministers are currently discussing a new traffic-light scheme to allow safe international travel ahead of the summer season. The system is already in place in Malta, as countries are graded red, amber or green.

In the UK, travel to and from red-listed countries will be banned, while people from amber countries will have to isolate for up to ten days. Meanwhile, those hailing from green-listed countries will be completely exempt from quarantine.

This comes after Tourism Minister Clayton Bartolo announced that Malta will begin to welcome tourists back as of June. A €20 million incentive package to boost the sector badly hit by the COVID-19 pandemic was also unveiled.

Particular focus will be placed on British tourists, the minister said, as the UK is one of Malta’s most important source markets. It also has one of the world’s highest vaccine uptakes.

As part of Malta’s recovery plan, vaccinated tourists will be able to visit Malta free of restrictions by presenting a digital green passport, while non-vaccinated tourists must submit a negative  PCR test hours before travelling.

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