Tourism Minister Clayton Bartolo announced two new incentives aimed at supporting sport tourism as well as the diving sector in order to attract tourists to Malta. 

Addressing a press conference on Friday, Bartolo said that the a total of €1.5 million will be allocated to support sports tourism and another €750,000 will be allocated to the diving sector. 

Minister Bartolo said “with a scheme amounting to €750,000 we will be giving a grant of €100 voucher for each foreign tourist who intends to come to Malta and practice this hobby.” 

He explained that a tourist will be able to apply for this scheme via a google form on the website; www.visitmalta.com, where amongst others, the tourist will be asked to present a copy of airline tickets. Once the Malta Tourism Authority (MTA) ensures that the application is legit, it will send the €100 voucher to the tourist via email. 

The same voucher must be spent purely at diving centres around Malta and Gozo, Bartolo said. 

For more information, the list of licensed diving centers will be accessible on the website of the MTA. 

Bartolo added that the overall effect that such a scheme is expected to have on the Maltese economy is that of €12 million, with €3 million being used on the island of Gozo. 

With regards to the scheme aimed at supporting sport tourism, Bartolo explained that each organiser will benefit from €100 for each participant/athlete who comes to Malta and participates in a sporting activity. 

The disciplines that will benefit from this scheme are all those that are accredited by Sports Malta. 

Bartolo emphasised that participants who qualify for this scheme must be foreign who come to Malta as tourists, and not foreigners who reside in Malta. 

“This scheme is expected to start from July 2021, whilst the first scheme aimed at helping the diving sector is expected to start in June 2021,” he said. 

Throughout the past three weeks, Minister Bartolo announced other incentivies for the hospitality industry. These include the new scheme which involves giving tourists who book a summer holiday to Malta directly through local hotesl a financial handout, five new air routes which will start operating in Malta in conjunction with Ryanair this summer as well as schemes aimted at supporting the accomodation and MICE sector.