A new scheme aimed at boosting the tourism sector after the summer months was announced Friday by Tourism Minister Clayton Bartolo and Malta Tourism Authority chairman Gavin Gulia.

The scheme is aimed at long-term tourists who are retired and are looking to spend more than 15 nights in the Maltese island between the months of October and December.

The scheme will be available from the 18 October till the 19 December and anyone over the age of 56 and who is spending 15 nights or more in Malta, will be able to benefit from a 100€ voucher.

“Over the past couple of weeks, we incentivised certain niches in the tourism sector. It is now time to address the shoulder months”, Gulia said.

The shoulder months referred to are the months between summer and winter where the tourism sector in Malta would be more quiet than normal.

Gulia also said that from the schemes which were announced so far (seven in total), a lot of international interest has been noticed. Also, local businesses which were the target of these schemes have also voiced their appreciation for the added interest during the post pandemic months. 

As chairman of the MTA, Gulia said that board members from the various tourist sectors such as operators, restaurants, hotels, the Gozitan tourist sector and the Malta International Airport “have all indicated that the benefits of the schemes we have put in motion are bearing fruit”

“We have to promote Malta as a travel destination all year round, not only in Summer” Gulia said, followed by a brief explainer about the terms and conditions of the new scheme announced.

Minister Bartolo confirmed that this scheme includes a €1 million direct investment in the local economy. “The projected expenditure in the economy by these long-term tourists is expected to be in the area of €5 million,” Bartolo said.

“On the 30th of March I presented a plan aimed at restarting the tourism sector with a total investment of €20 million […] we are not only starting to turn the economic wheel, but we are also extending the economic growth of the tourism sector” Bartolo said.

Bartolo then explained that certain tour operators will be given specific barcodes to give to tourists. These tourists will then go with the barcodes together with their boarding passes to the nearest tourist information office and after a brief verification of the conditions mentioned above, the tourists will be given their vouchers to spend wherever they please.

“This is the seventh scheme in our tourism regeneration plan, and we want the tourist sector to be stronger than it ever was” Bartolo said in his closing statement.