The Malta Tourism Authority has revealed it is aiming to attract 1.8 million tourists this year.

Such a statement from the Malta Tourism Authority comes just as the country has decided to ease its COVID-19 restrictions, reports SchengenVisaInfo.com.

According to The Times of Malta, Malta International Airport CEO Alan Borg said the country’s tourism industry is expected to reach levels recorded in 2015. Nevertheless, it remains unclear whether Malta will be able to reach 2019 levels as it currently sits 35 percent below.

Borg says other European destinations, such as Portugal, Spain, Cyprus and Croatia, saw more positive trends, suggesting the country needs to attract more travellers.

Malta eased its COVID-19 entry rules for all travelers on May 2. Since then, all travelers have been able to enter Malta without having to complete the Passenger Locator Form.

Also, the same has dropped the face mask requirement. This means that travelers are no longer required to wear a face mask when accessing various public places and events in Malta.

In addition to the above, Malta has also decided to no longer classify other countries as red or dark red. Since there are no more country categorisations, travelers do not need pre-travel authorization issued by the Superintendent of Public Health.

>> Malta further eases its COVID-19 travel restrictions

Malta’s decision to relax its entry rules follows infection and vaccination rates. The World Health Organization (WHO) shows that Malta has reported only 987 new cases of COVID-19 infection in the last seven days.

Additionally, regarding vaccination rates, the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) shows that Malta has administered a total of 1,208,355 doses of vaccine as of May 5. The same further reveals that 93.8% of the entire adult population of Malta have completed the primary vaccination and 79.9% have received a booster shot.

Nonetheless, travelers should keep in mind that despite dropping some of its rules, Malta still requires travelers to show valid COVID-19 proof. All travelers arriving in Malta are required to hold a vaccination, recovery or test certificate in order to be allowed to enter the country without having to follow any additional measures.

Just like other countries, Malta also applies a validity period on all COVID passes. The vaccination pass must be issued within the past nine months, while the recovery pass must be issued within the past six months. Regarding negative tests, the PCR test must be carried out 72 hours before arrival and the rapid antigen test must be carried out 24 hours before arrival in Malta.