malta tourism promotion

Malta offers deals to lure visitors as it opens to tourists from 38 US states

Jun 21, 2021 • 4 min read

Malta is paying travelers to visit this summer © Dado Daniela / Getty Images

In the same month that Malta became the first EU country to reach herd immunity, according to its officials, the pretty archipelago reopened its borders, is offering financial incentives for visitors and is now welcoming tourists from 38 US states.

Malta is one of the most vaccinated destinations in Europe, with 70% of its adult population now vaccinated with at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose, and 56% of the population fully vaccinated. As it gradually reopened to tourism from June 17, the Maltese government launched its "Incentives for Free Independent Travellers" scheme. It is designed to encourage independent travelers who are visiting for a minimum of three nights to directly book their holiday stays in five-, four- and three-star hotels to receive discounts.

Visitors staying at participating five-star hotels will get €100 ($120) per person towards the cost of their stay, and those staying at four-star hotels will be allocated €75 ($90) per person. Guests at three-star hotels will receive €50 ($60) per person off every booking. Participating hotels are expected to match the incentive amount granted by Malta Tourism Authority, and must allocate the same amount to the traveler to be spent on accommodation, food and beverages and other services within the hotel property, effectively doubling the discounts.

You can view the list of participating properties here . When booking hotel, travelers will receive a promotion code that can be used to redeem discounts. Most of the promotions will be valid for stays in June and July, though offers may be extended. As an added incentive, visitors to hotel properties on the island of Gozo will receive an additional 10% value on these incentives.

But it's not just hotels that are offering discounts. Visitors can also redeem a €100 voucher at a diving school in Malta; while English-language students that spend between 15 and 30 nights in Malta will be given a €10 allowance per day for food and drink. From October, visitors over the age of 65 who travel to Malta will also receive a €10 per day food and drink allowance if they spend up to 30 nights on any Maltese island.

Malta uses its own traffic light system to categorize countries and regions based on their COVID-19 situation and a number of entry restrictions remain in place. Travelers coming from 'green' or 'safe' country will only be subjected to thermal screening at the airport and must fill in a passenger locator form. Currently no countries are on the 'green' list.

Travelers coming from 'amber' countries, including most European countries, the UK, and Canada, are required to submit a negative COVID-19 PCR test certificate before boarding flights to Malta. Travelers from 'red' countries are not permitted to travel to Malta.

At present, Malta categorizes 38 US states, plus Puerto Rico and Washington D.C., as amber, including Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

The other states are listed as red.

Read more: Malta and Gozo's best beaches

As Malta reopens to tourists, it's worth noting the use of masks on beaches and at pools is still recommended. But many aspects of pre-pandemic life has returned this month, bars are open again; restaurants allow up to six people per table, and groups of up to six people are allowed to mix outdoors.

Malta will participate in the EU COVID Certificate program when it is up and running in July, and will permit any fully vaccinated EU resident, even those traveling from an 'amber' EU country to enter without providing a negative test result. It is looking at ways to safely allow more non-EU residents to enter. Meanwhile, further information on both travel restrictions and the Incentives for Free Independent Travellers scheme can be found on Malta Tourism Authority's website here .

This article was originally published on April 26, 2021 and updated on June 21, 2021.

You might also like:

More European countries could soon welcome vaccinated travelers Spain prepares to welcome travelers worldwide in June Ireland announces return of foreign travel as restrictions ease in time for summer

This article was first published April 2021 and updated June 2021

Explore related stories

Astrotourism

Dec 27, 2023 • 8 min read

Spectacular things are happening in the skies all over the world in 2024. Read on for a year-long guide to where you will want to look up.

Nov 22, 2023 • 5 min read

Oct 25, 2023 • 7 min read

Sep 29, 2023 • 9 min read

Jul 20, 2023 • 6 min read

Jan 6, 2023 • 6 min read

Nov 16, 2022 • 2 min read

Nov 15, 2022 • 2 min read

Nov 15, 2022 • 6 min read

Sep 28, 2022 • 6 min read

Get Daily Travel Tips & Deals!

By proceeding, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use .

This European Country Will Pay You to Visit

Alene Laney

Alene Laney is a freelance writer covering real estate, personal finance, and travel. She lives in the Southwest with her husband, four boys, and German Shepherd.

Travel Smarter! Sign up for our free newsletter.

Malta, a stunning island nation in the Mediterranean Sea, will pay you to visit this year. 

Opening June 1 to tourism, Malta’s travel incentives will offer vouchers for both hotels and diving excursions. Malta hopes their incentives will bring in around 35,000 tourists and usher in a strong return to tourism. If you’re interested in getting paid to stay in a hotel or dive off the coast of Malta, this might be for you. 

Why You’ll Want to Visit Malta

Malta’s rich history and limestone-walled cities make this one of the most special places you’ll ever visit. The island is home to the oldest stone structures in the world (yes, even older than Stonehenge and the Pyramids of Egypt). The gorgeous water, limestone cliffs, and sun-drenched location in the Mediteranean don’t hurt, either. 

You’ve probably seen Malta without realizing it. Dozens of blockbuster movies have been filmed in Malta . The old world feel and relatively unspoiled nature of the islands make for beautiful cinematography. It’s worth putting near the top of your bucket list.

Don’t believe me? This promotional video will have you scrambling for your passport. 

Malta is set to re-open for tourism starting in June. Travelers need a negative COVID-19 PCR test as of now, but it is expected that evidence of full vaccination will be sufficient in the near future. You can find up-to-date information on Malta’s Tourism Authority website .  

These Cities and States Will Pay You to Relocate

Vouchers for Hotel Rooms

You can get a voucher for up to 100 Euros ($120) per person for a hotel. The amount you’re eligible for will depend on the star-rating of the hotel and you must stay at least three nights to qualify for the incentive. 

For the three-night stay, travelers can be reimbursed:

• €100 per person for a five-star hotel
• €75 per person for a four-star hotel
• €50 per person for a three-star hotel

If you want to stay in a hotel on the neighboring island of Gozo, you’ll get an additional 10 percent on top of that. 

More information about the hotel incentive can be found here , and if you’re interested in a hotel voucher, you’ll want to fill out this Google Form . 

The 14 Best Vacation Rental Sites for Travelers in 2021

Vouchers for Diving

To support scuba diving tourism, Malta is also offering travelers a  €100 voucher for a dive excursion. The voucher may be used at licensed dive centers in Malta.   

The Malta Tourism Authority says, “This scheme incentivises visitors to experience the Maltese Islands’ clear blue Mediterranean sea as an ideal location for scuba diving activities with an abundance of reefs, caves and wrecks that make diving here some of the most interesting in the Mediterranean.”

More information about the dive promotion can be found here and registration is done by Google form here . 

Vouchers for both the hotel incentive and the dive promotion will expire at the end of 2021. 

You Might Also Like:

We hand-pick everything we recommend and select items through testing and reviews. Some products are sent to us free of charge with no incentive to offer a favorable review. We offer our unbiased opinions and do not accept compensation to review products. All items are in stock and prices are accurate at the time of publication. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission.

Top Fares From

Don't see a fare you like? View all flight deals from your city.

Today's top travel deals.

Brought to you by ShermansTravel

Australia: Upscale, 8-Night Cairns, the Gold...

Down Under Answers

Greenland: Luxe, All-Incl. 11-Nt Exploration Small-Ship...

Swan Hellenic

Ohio: Daily Car Rentals from Cincinnati

Trending on SmarterTravel

This web portal is maintained and administered by the Malta Tourism Authority.

You can find more information about: 

• Website Accessibility
• Terms & Conditions
• Privacy Policy & Cookies

At the Malta Tourism Authority, we are all about bringing people together, creating and fostering relationships, through the excitement of travel and adventure. Essentially, the Malta Tourism Authority is the main regulator and motivator for the tourism industry in Malta. The MTA Is also the industry’s motivator, its business partner, Malta’s brand promoter, and sees to it that meaningful partnerships with all the tourism stakeholders are formed, maintained, and managed.

At face value, this means being close to those who visit our Islands, but as an Authority, we also work closely alongside our private sector partners. More importantly, we help strengthen the industry’s human resources, as we seek to ensure the highest standards and quality of our tourism product and foster relations with local and international media.

The Authority was formally set up by the  Malta Travel and Tourism Service Act (1999) . This legislation clearly defines our role – extending it beyond that of international marketing to include a domestic, motivating, directional, coordinating, and regulatory role.

The Act strengthens the public and private partnership in tourism through greater and more direct participation by the private sector in national planning and development of the industry.

Our Role is

• to promote and advance Malta as a quality and sustainable tourism destination;
• to advise the country’s executive on tourism operations and to issue licences under the Act;
• to contribute towards the improvement of the level of human resources in the tourism industry; and
• to advise the government on the planning and development of the tourism industry as well as on the infrastructure supporting the industry.

Ultimately, as an Authority, we are here to assist and advise on any tourism-related issues and to undertake activities and projects to fulfill our role.

Standards and Licensing

The MTA mission includes licensing, monitoring, and control of:

• Accommodation and catering establishments; Travel agencies, incoming tourism agencies and destination management companies;
• Organised excursion operators; and
• Tourist guides.

If you have any comments regarding tourism services on the Islands, feel free to contact us.

Customer Care

E-mail:  [email protected] Tel: 356 22915000 Freephone: 356 80072230 * Website:  http://www.mta.com.mt

* Available from Monday to Friday: 08.00 – 12.30 and 13.15 – 17.00.

More to Explore

Malta, Gozo & Comino offer endless moments of relaxation and the chance to explore diverse artistic, cultural and natural treasures. Immerse yourself in pristine azure waters, discover over 7,000 years of history and indulge in a warm and hospitable Mediterranean lifestyle.

Don’t miss out on all the fun!

Join Us on an amazing adventure in the  Middle of the Mediterranean!

Delete Account

Are you sure you want to delete your account?

Continuing will remove your account on our database and will also remove all the data on this device. (Irreversable)

• Search Please fill out this field.
• Manage Your Subscription
• Give a Gift Subscription
• Sweepstakes

This European Island Nation Will Pay Tourists to Visit This Summer

The higher the hotel class you book, the more you can earn.

Want to make some money while on summer vacation?

In order to jumpstart its tourism economy, Malta announced a scheme on Friday to encourage independent travelers to stay in its hotels starting in June.

According to the official release , the Malta Tourism Authority will pay each visitor who books a three-night stay directly with select three- to five-star hotels on a scaled basis. Those who stay at a five-star property will get €100 (about $119) per person on every booking, while guests at four-star hotels will earn €75 (about $89) and visitors at three-star hotels will score €50 (about $60).

Tourism Minister Clayton Bartolo added that those amounts will be matched by the hotels, doubling them at every level, so that visitors can earn up to €200 (about $238) for their three-night stay at a five-star hotel, Reuters reported . And those who go to Malta's smaller island of Gozo will get an additional 10% incentive on top of that.

With €3,500,000 (about $4.1 million) allocated toward the plan, the country hopes that it can attract over 35,000 visitors with the budget, the release stated .

Currently, Malta is still in a partial pandemic lockdown, with the first steps toward reopening starting today (childcare, kindergartens, and primary schools are reopening, and visits to elderly homes are allowed again). Nonessential shops and services will reopen on Monday, April 26, the same day groups of up to four will be able to gather in public, according to the Malta Tourism Authority's site .

But the biggest date on the calendar is Tuesday, June 1, when they will officially open to travelers. After all, 27% of the nation's economy comes from tourism, according to World Travel and Tourism Council data. The country saw 2.7 million visitors in 2019, but that number dropped by 80% when the coronavirus pandemic hit, Reuters reported .

The CDC currently has Malta at a level 4 "very high level of COVID-19" advisory, telling Americans to avoid all travel to the nation. The country has had 29,614 COVID-19 cases and 402 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic, according to Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center data . According to Reuters , 42% of its adults have received one dose of the vaccination, the highest rate in the European Union.

• Travel, Tourism & Hospitality ›
• Leisure Travel

Travel and tourism in Malta - statistics & facts

Has tourism in malta recovered from the impact of covid-19, cruise tourism in malta, key insights.

Detailed statistics

Travel and tourism's total contribution to GDP in Malta 2019-2022

Distribution of travel and tourism expenditure in Malta 2019-2022, by type

Travel and tourism's total contribution to employment in Malta 2019-2022

Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic

Current statistics on this topic.

Travel, Tourism & Hospitality

Number of inbound tourists in Malta 2001-2023

Number of inbound tourists in Malta 2019-2023, by age group

Related topics

Travel and tourism in southern europe.

• Travel and tourism in Italy
• Travel and tourism in Spain
• Travel and tourism in Greece
• Travel and tourism in Portugal
• Cruise industry in Europe
• Cruise industry in the United Kingdom (UK)
• Cruise industry in Germany
• Cruise industry in Italy

Recommended statistics

• Basic Statistic Travel and tourism's total contribution to GDP in Malta 2019-2022
• Basic Statistic Distribution of travel and tourism expenditure in Malta 2019-2022, by type
• Basic Statistic Distribution of travel and tourism expenditure in Malta 2019-2022, by tourist type
• Premium Statistic Travel and tourism revenue in Malta 2019-2028, by segment
• Basic Statistic Travel and tourism's total contribution to employment in Malta 2019-2022
• Premium Statistic Leading countries in the Travel & Tourism Development Index 2021
• Basic Statistic Best-rated countries in the Gay Travel Index 2023
• Premium Statistic Key data on travel agencies in Malta 2024

Travel and tourism's total contribution to GDP in Malta 2019-2022

Total contribution of travel and tourism to GDP in Malta in 2019 and 2022 (in billion euros)

Distribution of travel and tourism spending in Malta in 2019 and 2022, by type

Distribution of travel and tourism expenditure in Malta 2019-2022, by tourist type

Distribution of travel and tourism spending in Malta in 2019 and 2022, by type of tourist

Travel and tourism revenue in Malta 2019-2028, by segment

Revenue of the travel and tourism market in Malta from 2019 to 2028, by segment (in million U.S. dollars)

Travel and tourism's total contribution to employment in Malta 2019-2022

Total contribution of travel and tourism to employment in Malta in 2019 and 2022 (in 1,000 jobs)

Leading countries in the Travel & Tourism Development Index 2021

Leading countries and territories in the Travel & Tourism Development Index (TTDI) in 2021

Best-rated countries in the Gay Travel Index 2023

Safest travel destinations for LGBTQ tourism worldwide in 2023 (index score)

Key data on travel agencies in Malta 2024

Forecast key figures on the travel agency industry in Malta in 2024

Inbound tourism

• Premium Statistic Number of inbound tourists in Malta 2001-2023
• Premium Statistic Number of inbound tourists in Malta 2010-2023, by travel mode
• Premium Statistic Number of inbound tourists in Malta 2019-2023, by age group
• Premium Statistic Leading inbound travel markets in Malta 2019-2023, by number of nights
• Premium Statistic Inbound tourist expenditure in Malta 2010-2023
• Premium Statistic Leading inbound travel markets in Malta 2019-2023, by tourist expenditure
• Premium Statistic Contribution of inbound visitor spending to Maltese exports 2010-2021
• Premium Statistic Leading inbound travel markets in Malta 2023, by Google travel demand growth

Number of international tourists in Malta from 2001 to 2023 (in 1,000s)

Number of inbound tourists in Malta 2010-2023, by travel mode

Number of international tourists in Malta from 2010 to 2023, by mode of travel (in 1,000s)

Number of international tourists in Malta from 2019 to 2023, by age group (in 1,000s)

Leading inbound travel markets in Malta 2019-2023, by number of nights

Number of nights spent by international tourists in Malta from 2019 to 2023, by country (in 1,000s)

Inbound tourist expenditure in Malta 2010-2023

Total expenditure of international tourists in Malta from 2010 to 2023 (in million euros)

Leading inbound travel markets in Malta 2019-2023, by tourist expenditure

Total international tourist expenditure in Malta from 2019 to 2023, by country (in 1,000 euros)

Contribution of inbound visitor spending to Maltese exports 2010-2021

Expenditure of international tourists as a share of total exports in Malta from 2010 to 2021

Leading inbound travel markets in Malta 2023, by Google travel demand growth

Leading inbound travel markets in Malta over the previous 30 and 90 days as of June 2023, by growth in travel demand on Google

Outbound tourism

• Premium Statistic Number of outbound tourists from Malta 2010-2023
• Premium Statistic Number of nights spent by outbound tourists from Malta 2019-2023, by country
• Premium Statistic Spending of outbound tourists from Malta 2010-2023
• Basic Statistic Expenditure of outbound tourists from Malta 2019-2023, by destination
• Premium Statistic Leading outbound travel markets in Malta 2023, by Google travel demand growth

Number of outbound tourists from Malta 2010-2023

Number of outbound tourists from Malta from 2010 to 2023 (in 1,000s)

Number of nights spent by outbound tourists from Malta 2019-2023, by country

Number of nights spent by outbound tourists from Malta from 2019 to 2023, by destination (in 1,000s)

Spending of outbound tourists from Malta 2010-2023

Total expenditure of outbound tourists from Malta from 2010 to 2023 (in million euros)

Expenditure of outbound tourists from Malta 2019-2023, by destination

Total outbound tourist expenditure in Malta from 2019 to 2023, by destination (in million euros)

Leading outbound travel markets in Malta 2023, by Google travel demand growth

Leading outbound travel markets in Malta over the previous 30 and 90 days as of June 2023, by growth in travel demand on Google

Domestic tourism

• Premium Statistic Number of domestic tourists in Malta 2016-2022
• Premium Statistic Number of domestic tourists in Malta 2022, by age
• Premium Statistic Number of domestic tourists in Malta 2015-2022, by destination
• Premium Statistic Domestic tourism spending in Malta 2016-2022

Number of domestic tourists in Malta 2016-2022

Number of domestic tourists in Malta from 2016 to 2022 (in 1,000s)

Number of domestic tourists in Malta 2022, by age

Number of domestic tourists in Malta in 2022, by age group

Number of domestic tourists in Malta 2015-2022, by destination

Number of domestic tourists in Malta and Gozo/Comino regions from 2015 to 2022, by destination (in 1,000s)

Domestic tourism spending in Malta 2016-2022

Expenditure of domestic tourists in Malta from 2016 to 2022 (in 1,000 euros)

Cruise tourism

• Premium Statistic Cruise passenger movements in Mediterranean ports 2019-2022, by country
• Premium Statistic Number of cruise passengers arriving in Malta 2011-2023
• Premium Statistic Number of cruise passengers arriving in Malta 2019-2023, by age
• Premium Statistic Cruise calls at Mediterranean ports 2019-2022, by country
• Premium Statistic Number of cruise liner calls in Malta 2008-2023

Cruise passenger movements in Mediterranean ports 2019-2022, by country

Number of cruise passengers at Mediterranean ports from 2019 to 2022, by country (in 1,000s)

Number of cruise passengers arriving in Malta 2011-2023

Number of cruise ship passengers arriving in Malta from 2011 to 2023 (in 1,000s)

Number of cruise passengers arriving in Malta 2019-2023, by age

Number of cruise ship passengers arriving in Malta from 2019 to 2023, by age

Cruise calls at Mediterranean ports 2019-2022, by country

Number of cruise calls at Mediterranean ports from 2019 to 2022, by country

Number of cruise liner calls in Malta 2008-2023

Number of cruise liner calls in Malta from 2008 to 2023

Accommodation

• Basic Statistic Number of tourist accommodation establishments in Malta 2022, by type
• Premium Statistic Key data on the hotel industry in Malta 2022
• Premium Statistic Number of hotels and similar accommodation in Malta 2013-2022
• Premium Statistic Number of hotel rooms in Malta 2013-2022
• Premium Statistic Hotel bedroom occupancy rate in Malta 2013-2022

Number of tourist accommodation establishments in Malta 2022, by type

Number of travel accommodation establishments in Malta in 2022, by type

Key data on the hotel industry in Malta 2022

Key figures on the hotel industry in Malta in 2022

Number of hotels and similar accommodation in Malta 2013-2022

Number of hotels and similar accommodation establishments in Malta from 2013 to 2022

Number of hotel rooms in Malta 2013-2022

Number of bedrooms in hotels and similar accommodation establishments in Malta from 2013 to 2022

Hotel bedroom occupancy rate in Malta 2013-2022

Occupancy rate of bedrooms in hotels and similar accommodation establishments in Malta from 2013 to 2022

Further reports Get the best reports to understand your industry

Get the best reports to understand your industry.

Mon - Fri, 9am - 6pm (EST)

Mon - Fri, 9am - 5pm (SGT)

Mon - Fri, 10:00am - 6:00pm (JST)

Mon - Fri, 9:30am - 5pm (GMT)

CARLO MICALLEF

Chief Executive Officer - MTA

Carlo Micallef is a graduate of the University of Malta with a Bachelor of Commerce, Management specialised in Marketing.

He carries with him a long-standing career of 25 years in various important roles within the Malta Tourism Authority and the Institute for Tourism Studies.

During this period, he served as Director of the same Authority in its Amsterdam office where he was responsible for the promotion of the Maltese Islands in the Netherlands, Belgium, and the Nordic Countries. After this experience abroad, he returned to Malta and was entrusted with the expansion of our country’s promotion in new tourism markets and niches.

In 2014, Carlo Micallef was appointed as Chief Marketing Officer at the Malta Tourism Authority and in 2017 he was appointed as Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the same authority.

In 2013, he started serving on the Board of Governors of the Institute for Tourism Studies and in 2017 he was appointed chairman of the same educational institution.

KEVIN FSADNI

Deputy CEO - MTA

Kevin Fsadni was born in 1973 and graduated from the University of Malta in Engineering and Architecture in 1995.  

After working in the private sector as an architect, he joined the Malta Tourism Authority in 2001 where he worked in product development and project implementation. In 2015 he was appointed Director - Product Development, overseeing all projects and initiatives related to Heritage, Coastal Zone Management and Tourism Development. In 2022, he was appointed Deputy CEO with the responsibility for Product Development, Licensing, compliance, quality Assurance and Eco-Certification.

Kevin is also involved in a number of cross-ministerial initiatives related to policy development and sits on Boards and Committees including the Tourism Regeneration Agency and the Planning Authority. ​

Appointed by the Minister for Tourism

A short bio of this Board Member will be available shortly.

GEORGE MICALLEF

Board Member - MTA

George Micallef has worked in the tourism industry his entire life. He has been a practising freelance tourism development consultant since 1987 but remained actively involved in the hotel industry ever since. He holds directorships on a number of companies and sits on various tourism governing local and international boards. George has led a number of projects in the Public and Private sector both in Malta and overseas and served as a consultant to various Ministers of Tourism over the years.

He has extensive experience in tourism development at a national level and has collaborated with various international institutions, published various articles and studies and delivered papers at international fora on tourism development.  

TANIA SULTANA

Head of Research - MTA

Tania is Head of Research at the Malta Tourism Authority. She has worked in tourism for 24 years and her main area of expertise is tourism market research and strategic planning. She received her Bachelor of Commerce (Hons) degree in 1998 and completed a Master of Science in Strategic Management and Marketing in 2018 at the University of Malta. She has participated and presented research work in international tourism research conferences and seminars namely organised by Eurostat, OECD and UNWTO. She represents the Malta Tourism Authority and is currently Vice-Chair of the Market Intelligence Group (MIC) of the European Travel Commission.

MARY ROSE BRIFFA

Malta Tourism Observatory

Mary Rose is the newly appointed Manager of the Malta Tourism Observatory. Mary Rose has worked in different sectors, during her years of employment. For the last seven years, Mary Rose Briffa worked as a Manager II Research at the Project Development Policy Implementation of the Ministry for Tourism. She was involved in the drafting of the Malta’s Tourism Strategy 2021-30.

After finishing college, she started her work experience with a small advertising agency where she was involved in the day-to-day running of the company. She then spent eleven years in the telecommunication industry, at the then Telemalta/Maltacom. After her working experience in the telecommunication industry, she spent a short period as a Marketing Executive in a Travel Agency. She then spent another eight years in a tertiary vocational education institution namely MCAST, working with students with intellectual disabilities and assisted in one-to one session with mainstream students, studying marketing and management.

Mary Rose attained all her academic qualifications during her working period. She attained a Masters in Marketing from the renowned Chartered Institute of Marketing, UK whilst working in the telecommunication industry. She also attained a graduate teacher certificate in vocational education and training, from MCAST whilst working at the same tertiary institute. And finally, during her tenure at the Ministry she attained an MBA in International Hospitality Management with the Institute of Tourism Studies, in affiliation, with the Emirates Academy.

LESLIE VELLA

Chief Officer Strategic Development - MTA

Managing Director

Leslie Vella was born in 1964 and graduated from the University of Malta with a BA (Hons) in Business Management.  

He has a 39-year career in tourism with the MTA where he is currently Deputy CEO and Chief Officer Strategic Development.  He specialises in Policy, Strategy, Research and Planning.  

Leslie served for 17 years as Chair of the European Travel Commission’s (ETC) Market Intelligence Group between 1997 and 2014 and also served as ETC’s Vice President between 2016 and 2017.  He is Malta’s Focal Point to the UNWTO.  

In 1999 he co-authored “The Economic Impact of Tourism in Malta” and in 2015 drafted Malta’s National Tourism Policy to 2020. He has also drafted Malta’s Tourism Strategy and Recovery Plan for the period 2021-2030.

ANTHONY GATT

Permanent Secretary - Ministry for Tourism

Mr Anthony Gatt was appointed Permanent Secretary at the Ministry for Competitiveness and Digital, Maritime and Services Economy in May 2016. In June 2017 he was appointed Permanent Secretary at the Ministry for Energy and Water Management. In November 2020 this Ministry was redesignated as Ministry for Energy, Enterprise and Sustainable Development. In April 2022 Mr Gatt was appointed Permanent Secretary at the Ministry for Tourism.   He graduated with Masters in Business Administration from the University of Malta.   Mr Gatt has had a long career within the Public Service. He has worked in various Ministries and Departments, including the Ministry for Infrastructure, Transport and Communications and the Department of Contracts. In 2015 he was appointed Director for Corporate Services within the Ministry for European Affairs and Implementation of the Electoral Manifesto, led by the Deputy Prime Minister. Over the years as a public officer, Mr Gatt has represented Malta at various meetings organised by the European Union.

GEOFFREY LIPMAN

Geoffrey is co-Founder and current President of SUNx Malta - Strong Universal Network – a global initiative to support Climate Resilience, related SDG’s and Emergency Response through Climate Friendly Travel. He is also envoy for Sustainable Tourism Global Centre and lead for TPCC – Tourism Panel on Climate Change.  

Throughout his long career, Geoffrey played a key role in the emergence of Tourism as a serious socio-economic sector. He occupied leadership positions in various international bodies, including Executive Director at IATA, first President of WTTC and Assistant Secretary General of UNWTO. Geoffrey served on public / private sector boards in Africa, Europe, Middle East and Canada. He was Tourism Envoy to UNDP Administrator; Member EU Commissions on Airline Liberalisation and on Tourism Employment: Environment Advisor to the Governor of Jeju Island, Korea: President ICTP (International Coalition of Tourism Partners). Worked closely with the World Economic Forum on its Competitiveness and Smart Travel activities.  

Geoffrey has written and lectured widely on tourism strategy, sustainability, and liberalisation. 

MICHAEL PISCOPO

PR Consultant - MTA

Michael joined the National Tourism Organisation  of Malta, MTA’s predecessor, in 1988 as Advertising & PR Executive.

In a career spanning over 30 years, he held various positions in the field of Marketing and PR, both locally and abroad. He served as Director of the Malta Tourist Office in Amsterdam (3 yrs), in New York (5 yrs) and in London (3 yrs), promoting Malta and Gozo in the respective markets. He was also Director Communications & Digital Media, responsible for MTA’s websites, social media, corporate communications, promotional literature, branded items, and  a network of Tourist Information Offices.

Michael presented at various conferences both locally and overseas. He sat on the boards of professional organisations including ANTOR in London and Amsterdam, the New Media Group of the ETC in Brussels, the US Working Group of the ETC in New York, and the Executive Committee of the Americas Division of the Middle East Mediterranean Travel & Tourism Association (MEMTTA) in USA.

Michael holds a BA (Hons) degree in Public Administration from the University of Malta.

AMANDA ZAMMIT

Director (PDPID) - Ministry for Tourism

Amanda Zammit holds a B.A. (Hons) in International Relations, an M.A. in European Studies and an MBA. 

After completing a traineeship with the European Commission in 2007, she joined the public administration in Malta. She has extensive experience in EU funds and EU affairs and has worked on various EU funding programmes both at the Managing Authority and within Line Ministries. In 2018 she was appointed as the Director for Policy Development and Programme Implementation (PDPID) at the Ministry for Energy and Water Management whereby she was responsible for policy, EU and international affairs and EU funds.

In November 2022 she was appointed as the Director for PDPID at the Ministry for Tourism.  

USCHI BORG OLIVIER

Board Secretary

Uschi Borg Olivier was born in 1969 and studied at Vienna Business School. Her career spans various business development and managerial roles. Between 1998 and 2014 she was in charge of International Business Development with an Austrian Group of Companies in the area of quality components manufacturing. Since 2015 has been managing the MTA’s Route Development Unit where she is responsible for maintaining relationships with airlines offering connectivity to Malta.

Type To Search

Sport tourism scheme.

SPORT TOURISM SCHEME

Malta’s climate offers the ideal destination to attract sporting activities and events to Malta and Gozo. For many years, SportMalta has, in collaboration with the Malta Tourism Authority, introduced schemes in relation to this factor and has, through experience, improved the scheme to become more effective and beneficial to the sports scenario in Malta. Over the years the scheme has been revamped, such that sports entities can benefit in a just and equitable manner, depending on the size of their organised event and the amount of the bed-nights generated by the foreign participants.

To this effect, Federations, Associations, Clubs and Foundations and are being encouraged to participate in this scheme.

  For further details, kindly refer to  Terms & Conditions  document, available below.

  Application Process:

Applications for funding of events in year 2024 are now open.

Deadline to submit application: Thursday 7th December, 2023

  Signed application form shall reach SportMalta by e-mail to  assistances.sportmalta@ sportmalta.org.mt

Find Your Way Around

How to get there

Send by e-mail, information.

Antiracism Standard Operating Procedure

MTA Gender Equality Plan

More From Forbes

3 english-speaking countries to retire to.

• Share to Facebook
• Share to Twitter
• Share to Linkedin

The view of Bacuit archipelago islands from El Nido, Philippines

For many people considering a move overseas, one of the biggest barriers they face is the language barrier.

They may not feel able to master a new language… not have time to… or simply not want to… but the fear of not being able to communicate in your adopted homeland can be off-putting.

Happily, there are plenty of destinations around the world where English is widely-spoken meaning fluency in a new language doesn’t have to be a requirement for a new adventure overseas.

Here are some of your best options for destinations where you’ll find English-speaking locals and an easy route to expat life…

Paradise beach in Placencia, Belize

Formerly a British colony, Belize’s official language is English. Indeed, it’s the only English-language-official country in Central America.

About 83% of the country speaks English as their first language, while many also speak Creole and Spanish.

Leases and legal contracts are in English… English-speaking staff are available at clinics… Media and the news are delivered in English. The average person you come into contact with, whether it’s a cashier or a government official, speaks English.

Apple’s iPhone AI Plans Confirmed With New Software Release

Samsung is giving away a free galaxy s24 in a new promotion, the fallout 4 next gen update is not going great.

This ease of language is a big reason why many American and Canadian expats choose to move to Belize.

Plus, the people are welcoming, open-minded, and eclectic—and the country has excellent residency programs.

In addition, Belize offers Caribbean living at a much lower cost than elsewhere in the region—around $1,500 a month is a good guide as a start point for your costs here.

When it comes to residency options things are straightforward. There’s the Qualified Retirement Program (QRP) which is open to applicants over 40 who can prove a monthly income from a source outside of the country (such as a pension or Social Security) of $2,000.

Alternatively, you can just go to Belize and stay there for 12 months continually renewing your tourist visa. After that time you can then apply for permanent residency.

For many expats the easy-going lifestyle and live and let live attitude of the locals here is a big selling point.

View of Lady of Mount Carmel church, St.Paul's Cathedral in Valletta city, Malta

Malta, a former British colony, has two official languages: English and Maltese. About 88% of the population is fluent in English, and laws are enacted in both languages so you shouldn’t have any trouble being understood or understanding the locals.

Your residency options here include Citizenship by Investment, a Permanent Residence Scheme, a Family Visa and the Ordinary Residence Scheme.

The Ordinary Residence Scheme is the most popular with the key requirements being able to show a net worth of €14,000 for a single or €23,000 for a couple, that you spend a minimum of 183 days per calendar year in Malta, and evidence of a physical address in the country which can be through a real estate purchase or rental agreement.

Once you’ve been a legal resident in Malta for five years, you can apply for permanent residency.

Malta also offers excellent health care, a beautiful natural landscape, fantastic climate,—the year-round daytime temperature hovers around 73°F—rich history, large expat communities, and friendly locals.

As regards downsides, Malta is both small and popular so beaches can get crowded and traffic congested, particularly in the capital, Valletta.

The Philippines

Puka beach in Boracay Island, Western Visayas, Philippines

Lying about 500 miles off the southeast coast of China and to the northeast of Borneo, the Philippines is a breathtakingly beautiful archipelago of over 7,000 islands.

Colonized by the Spanish in 1521, their influence remains today in architecture, names, food, and more. Indeed, Spanish was the official language of the Philippines for over three centuries and was the lingua franca up until the 21st century. Today, Filipino and English are the official languages.

English has official status because the Philippines was a U.S. colony from 1898 to 1946 and today it’s recognized as one of the world’s largest English-speaking nations. English is the language of business and law, and more than half of the country’s population—which totals around 118 million people—speak it.

The Philippine Retirement Authority offers several options for those looking to move to the country. The most popular and well-known of which is the Special Resident Retiree’s Visa.

To qualify, applicants need to be aged 50 or older, show a pension of $800 per month ($1,000 per month for couples), and deposit a minimum of $10,000 in a Philippine bank account. If you can’t prove a monthly pension, you can opt to make a $20,000 deposit in a local bank account, instead.

The Philippines also offers top-notch health care and is home to the only overseas VA hospital in the world—the Manila Regional Office and Outpatient Clinic. Add to that, world-class beaches, a tropical climate, and a low-cost of living—on $2,000 a month a couple could live very well here—and it adds up to a great option for an overseas retirement.

These are just some of your options for an overseas retirement without having to learn a new language but the fact is in a host of countries you’ll find areas where you can settle in easily and get by in English.

Other Options Around The World

In Europe, consider Greece, Cyprus, Spain, Portugal, Croatia, Germany, Norway, Slovenia, and France where you’ll find either a large number of English-speaking locals, areas with large expat populations and healthy tourism trades, or a combination of both meaning getting by in English poses no problem.

In Mexico, Lake Chapala, Puerto Vallarta, Puerto del Carmen, Cancun, Guadalajara, San Miguel de Allende, and beyond would work for those who only speak English, and the same applies in Panama’s expat havens of Boquete and Coronado.

Of course, it’s always a good idea to pick up as much of the local language anywhere you go, the locals will appreciate it and it will broaden your social circle, but it’s by no means essential to be fluent before you pack your bags for pastures new.

• Editorial Standards
• Reprints & Permissions