In spite of the surge in the number of new Covid-19 cases, both the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association (MHRA) and Malta International Airport have welcomed the statement made yesterday by the Prime Minister that, “its time to lift all COVID restrictions, leaving it up to people to choose how to safeguard their own well being.”

MHRA President Tony Zahra said that, 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.”

He went on to say that “our vaccinations and boosters have prevented spreads of infection and it is evident that the vaccine programme has “transformed our situation” and therefore the rationale for continuing the covid protocols and related restrictions are now no longer there.”

Mr Zahra asserted that “MHRA members are now anxiously awaiting to see tourists returning and for Malta to start getting back to some normality.’

He concluded by saying, “we need to see the tourist areas across Malta and Gozo thriving again. To get there however we need to be competing on a level playing field with other tourism destinations and restrictions to access must be removed immediately. It’s time to be ourselves again.”

Malta International Airport CEO Alan Borg said that “the Prime Minister’s recent pledge that the government will be removing the remaining Covid-19 restrictions. Only once people are able to travel freely to Malta again can we start competing on a more level playing field with other Mediterranean destinations.”

This was said during an event where MIA unveiled its flight schedule for the summer season, featuring 99 routes in 34 countries.

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