Traffic reaches standstill in Għadira as people flock to Gozo

Drivers looking to spend the last few days of the year in Gozo were off to a delayed start on Monday as the queue of cars to board the Gozo ferry stretched from as far as Popeye Village.

On Boxing Day, the line of cars waiting to board the ferry stretched from Dawret il-Mellieħa to Ċirkewwa.

According to the Times of Malta, the Gozo Channel company is using all four ships in its fleet to transport people from Ċirkewwa to Mġarr.

The newspaper quotes Gozo Tourism Association CEO Joe Muscat, who explains that the long queues are likely due to people making an early move to spend the New Year in Gozo. Hotels and farmhouses on the sister island are expecting a high occupancy rate over the weekend, he said.

Many people have chosen to ring in the New Year in Gozo, despite this being the first winter since 2019 that EU-wide COVID-19 travel restrictions have been removed. Instead of travelling abroad for the weekend, many are heading to Gozo for a short holiday.

Many might also be heading to Gozo to make the most of the warm weather during the Christmas shutdown period.

With clear skies on Monday, Tuesday’s temperatures are set to feel as high as 22 degrees celsius. The temperature should remain above 20 degrees until Wednesday.