Malta’s government has announced that the United Kingdom will no longer be considered a red zone for travelling. 

It will now be placed on the amber list following epidemiological studies. Travellers arriving in Malta from an amber list country will be required to present a negative PCR test performed no more than 72 hours prior to arrival in the country.

Travellers arriving in Malta from any of these countries who fail to produce such a test will be submitted to testing in Malta and may be subject to quarantine.

The change will be introduced with immediate effect.

Malta has already been placed on a list of the UK government’s green list” for non-essential travel, which will come into force on 17th May. 

British residents make up a significant chunk of tourists who visit Malta and will be crucial to the country’s post-COVID-19 economy.

Malta’s government had already announced that it plans to reopen the islands to tourism on 1st June 2021. It has since announced several schemes to attract tourists to Malta, including a €3.5 million fund to encourage foreign tourists to stay at a three, four or five-star hotel.

Under the scheme, the government will pay tourists €100 if they stay at a five-star hotel, €75 if they stay at a four-star hotel, and €50 if they stay at a three-star hotel. Hotels will need to match those sums.

Malta has seen a drop in active COVID-19 cases over recent weeks following the implementation of strict restrictions. Meanwhile, over 108,000 people have received the second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

What do you think of the decision?