Tourism sector welcomes PM pledge to lift all COVID-19 restrictions

The tourism sector has welcomed Prime Minister Robert Abela’s pledge to remove all COVID-19 restrictions. 

During an address to the nation on Monday after being sworn in as PM, Abela said “it’s time to lift all COVID restrictions”, insisting government will leave it “up to people to choose how to safeguard their own wellbeing.”

In a statement on Monday, the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association President Tony Zahra said the PM’s statement echoed the sentiment of competing countries.

“This is very much in line with what some of our competitor countries have already done and what we have already recommended Malta should do. Indeed, in the past two years, the hospitality industry did what it was asked to do by the Health Authorities, and thanks to collective efforts, Malta has managed to weather the COVID storm,” Zahra said.

He said MHRA members are now anxiously awaiting to see tourists returning, and for Malta to start getting back to some normality.

The Malta International Airport also welcomed the PM’s statement.

At the same time, the airport unveiled its flight schedule for the summer featuring 99 routes in 34 counties.

Over the weekend, the MIA welcomed the first flight from Shannon, which it said would provide a direct link between Malta and Ireland’s west coast until October.

This flight will be operated twice a week by Ryanair.   

Another development from Ryanair is the Bordeaux service, which will be one of the nine routes connecting the Maltese Islands to France.