a town on a rocky hill next to a body of water
Image by Magdalena Smolnicka from Pixabay

Ok, technically, Malta says it’ll pay up to €220, so you’ve got that going for you.

Malta is a place you’ve likely seen, but may not have been. It featured prominently as a stunning backdrop in Game Of Thrones scenes, and is a uniquely wonderful travel destination in between Italy and North Africa. It’s also a member of the EU.

Just as tourism began to ramp up in recent years, like many destinations, things crashed in 2020, losing all the momentum gained. To counter that trend, and make the archipelago of stunning islands your top pick for 2021, Malta is offering tourists up to €220 Euros back on stays, to get you through the gates. You’ve naturally got questions.

a town on a rocky hill next to a body of water
Image by Magdalena Smolnicka from Pixabay

Malta Offering Up To €220 To Visit

Malta expects to lift covid-19 restrictions on June 1st, meaning most visitors from around the world should be able to discover and enjoy these beautiful islands. The islands have been among the best in Europe in vaccination and covid-19 numbers are presently low.

But with intense competition for visitors seeking “revenge travel” this summer, with the likes of Greece, Croatia, Italy and Spain, the country which depends on tourism for 27% of its economy is sweetening the deal.

Stays of three nights or more over the summer will receive a rebate up to €220, funded by the government and hotels. The only catch? You need to book direct with the hotels, so they can avoid paying commission to online travel agencies, which can take 20% of a sale, or more.

The More You Splurge, The More You Get

Travelers opting for five star hotels will be eligible for €200 back, with four star stays receiving €150 and three star hotel bookings receiving €100.

To promote the under the radar island of Gozo, anyone booking an accommodation there will receive an extra 10% bonus, for a total of up to €220. Hotels will pay out directly to tourists, according to the Times Of Malta.

a swimming pool with palm trees and a building in the background
Kempinski Malta

A quick search for the exceptional five star Kempinski Malta turned up rates under €170 Euro, or around $200 USD per night, so a three night stay would net out pretty attractively. And yes, since it’s on Gozo, you’d achieve the extra 10% bonus!

“Our objective is to re-establish the Maltese islands as a safe and quality destination in the shortest possible time.”

Tony Zahra, Malta Hotels & Restaurants Association

What’s cool here is that this is about hotels and bringing people to the islands, so how you get there isn’t as much of a concern. You can use points to save on transportation costs, and just splurge once in country, knowing €200+ is coming your way.

So even if you use points to reach Malta, or to a nearby country where you could pick up a cheap connecting flight, if you’re willing to pay cash for the hotel, you can benefit. This means you can enjoy an amazing trip, while enjoying Maltese hospitality to the fullest, and stay in a better quality of hotel while still staying on budget.

There’s a lot to love about this program which kicks off for arrivals starting June 1st, so if you’re looking to explore a slightly under the radar European gem, and get up to a lovely €200 for doing so, Malta is the ticket this year.

HT: View From The Wing

Gilbert Ott

Gilbert Ott is an ever curious traveler and one of the world's leading travel experts. His adventures take him all over the globe, often spanning over 200,000 miles a year and his travel exploits are regularly...

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2 Comments

  1. Thanks so much for this! Any idea if we mixed free night certificates and paid nights that we would be eligible for this rebate? Would three of the nights have to be paid for with cash?

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