Malta’s Tourism Recovery Plan will seek to attract tourism activity to Malta, with a funding injection worth €20 million for the industry. Tourism Minister Clayton Bartolo said that Malta will seek to attract as many tourists as possible to help contribute to recovery.

One aspect of the plan involves attracting free independent travellers (FITs). These are travellers who plan their own trips and opt to travel alone or in small groups, as opposed to mass tourism strategies that rely on large groups and travel packages.

Bartolo pointed out that the schemes will not only target FITs, with further schemes to be announced over the next few weeks.

Regarding use the Digital Green Certificate, the minister reassured that it won’t lead to discrimination between those who have received the vaccine and those who fall further behind in the vaccination queue.

“The Green Certificate won’t be the only way someone can travel – you can use negative PCR tests taken hours before travelling. These appear to be the two favourite options at EU level and for Malta, with discussions with the Superintendent of Public Health confirming this,” he said.

Read the full article: https://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/108693/malta_targets_1_june_for_tourism_recovery_with_plan_to_attract_free_independent_travellers#.YHZ-Ba8zY2x

As the Maltese summer begins to approach, with talks of herd immunity and nation-wide vaccination finally within reach, Signature Entertainment Group took to Facebook to share that the legendary international hospitality brand Buddha Bar is coming to Malta in the form of Buddha-Bar Beach.

With a (so far) undisclosed location, Buddha Bar Beach will welcome ‘colourful recipes, amazing cocktails & hypnotic world sounds’, with the iconic global brand welcoming summer 2021 in the best way possible.

As of June 1st, Malta will welcome passengers from the UK who have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19.

British travellers who can show proof of full vaccination received at least ten days before arriving in the country will no longer have to provide a negative PCR test certificate 72 hours prior to, or on arrival in Malta.

Passengers will need to show their vaccination card when boarding to be accepted to travel.

Malta is second to the UK in terms of European countries vaccinating the greatest proportion of its population, with 40 per cent of the adult population having received its first dose, making the destination a safe choice for future travel.

Tolene Van Der Merwe, director UK & Ireland of Malta Tourism Authority, commented: “Malta is a very popular destination for British holidaymakers and is a key contributor to Malta’s economy, so we are excited to welcome back fully vaccinated travellers from the United Kingdom from June.

This latest announcement is another example of Malta and the UK’s special, long-standing relationship which dates back to the 1800 when Malta voluntarily became part of the British Empire as a protectorate and in the 20th century Malta was famously favoured by her majesty the Queen, and she spent two years living on the island when the Duke of Edinburgh conducted his work for the Royal Navy and returned for many state visits.

Present day Malta offers world-class diving, a burgeoning gastronomy scene and year-round warm weather.

The islands have an exciting few months in store with a wealth of new restaurant, hotel and spa openings for travellers to enjoy when they can return.

Read the full article: https://www.breakingtravelnews.com/news/article/malta-to-welcome-vaccinated-brits-from-june/

This week we experienced a new world of colour with Stephanie Borg, a vibrant, local self-taught artist, graphic and surface pattern designer. Her professional practice as a graphic designer for over 25 years, both in her native Malta and overseas, has brought about the most beautifully inspired artworks.

Stephanie happily says “I love colour, it’s my inspiration along with beautiful patterns that I have been tracing since my childhood.”

When viewing her collections one can see the inspiration through Malta’s local tiles, colourful wooden doors and wrought iron balconies, amongst others. Her vast collection of creations range from espresso cups to beautiful vases to gorgeous silk scarves, each item created with love and passion.

Stephanie’s gifts are amongst our top picks for corporate gifts, but also the perfect gift for any occasion really.

Well done Stephanie, we can’t wait to see your new collection!

The 25 best destinations in the world to go on holiday in November, from South Korea’s flourishing capital to the Canadian hinterland, also included Malta in none other than the 4th place.

Iceland ranked 3rd, whilst Sayulita in Mexico and Lisbon in Portugal ranked in 2nd and 1st place respectively.

Read the full article here: https://www.cntraveller.com/gallery/best-holiday-destinations-in-november

La crociera sul Grand Harbour è uno dei tour più tranquilli e interessanti di Malta ed è oggi diventata parte integrante dell’itinerario turistico per migliaia di visitatori delle isole maltesi.

Abbiamo posto alcune domande a Davide Cachia, Managing Director di Colours of Malta, che ha ideato questo interessantissimo tour.

Clicca qui per leggere l’articolo completo: https://www.maltameeting.it/aggiornamenti/treasures-crociera-sul-grand-harbour-by-colours-of-malta/

Cruising the Grand Harbour is one of Malta’s most peaceful and interesting tours… and has today become an integral part of the tourist itinerary for thousands of visitors to our islands.

The Grand Harbour (in Maltese: Il-Port il-Kbir) is a natural harbour.  It has been used as a harbour since early Phoenician times. The natural harbour has been greatly improved with extensive docks and wharves, and has been massively fortified over centuries.

Our Grand Harbour set stage for various attacks and conquers leaving behind centuries of history and stories to tell.

This morning we set sail with Captain Bruce and Rayphil on a traditional boat named ‘id-dghajsa’ to discover the history of our majestic harbour and explore its magnificence from the sea.

What could be a better way to see the sights than from an exceptional vantage point, with the refreshing sea breeze caressing your face?

The main attraction of this harbour cruise is definitely the Valletta Grand Harbour. The imposing bastions of the fortified cities of Valletta and The Three Cities, together with the skyline of their baroque churches, provide the perfect backdrop for a memorable cruise around one of the world’s deepest natural harbours. One can also view the numerous Fortresses built by the Knights of St John that surround the entire harbour and the Historical Three Cities. The imposing Fort St. Angelo, at the tip of Vittoriosa (also known as Birgu), is considered to be the jewel in the crown of Malta’s architectural heritage.

Further in one can see the docks, which for centuries have provided a living for the inhabitants of the area, and continue to dominate the skyline.

Cruises can take place on different types of boats, all depending on the size of the group and a tour takes approximately 90 minutes.

This is definitely a experience not to be missed!

2020 marked 100 years since Sir Temi Zammit started excavations at the Domvs Romana, 2021 marks the 140th anniversary of the Domvs’s accidental discovery and 2022 will commemorate 140 years since the Domvs was opened to the public as a museum. However what we see today when we visit the Domvs is a far cry from what this luxurious dwelling must have looked like, roughly between the second half of the first century BC and the first half of the first century AD.

David Cardona, senior curator for Phoenician, Roman and medieval sites at Heritage Malta, said that some workers were planting trees at what we now know as Howard Gardens, during which a spade made a jarring sound when it hit a hard surface. Startled, the workers stopped to alert their superiors, unaware of the marvellous discovery that was about to unfold. Following the incident during the tree planting at Howard Gardens, Antonio Annetto Caruana, the librarian of the Bibliotheca and curator of the archaeological collection housed in it, was entrusted with the investigation. Most of the areas of this rich Roman townhouse were discovered then and a museum was built to protect the mosaics and house Malta’s Roman antiquities.

Unfortunately a good portion of the house, as well as other surrounding structures and tombs, were completely lost when the British services cut the road leading to the Museum Railway Station in 1899.

The site underwent further investigations in 1920-25 by Sir Temi with the help of Robert V. Galea, Harris Dunscombe Colt and Louis Upton Way. Works extended in all directions of the site and uncovered a substantial number of Islamic burials above the remains of other small Roman houses.

The owner of this Domvs may have been an important public figure. What historians can deduce quite accurately, however, is that this was no humble abode. This was the home of someone wealthy enough to be in the top social stratum, someone with high social connections in Rome, as evidenced by two statues showing members of Emperor Claudius’s family carved in fine marble.

There is so much more to be discovered at the Domvs Romana, such an incredible wealth of artefacts that yet make up only a fraction of our unique cultural heritage. The sheer fact that we can set foot in this house some 2,000 years into its existence is a wonder in itself and all the more reason for Heritage Malta to celebrate its discovery’s anniversary as befits such a remarkable event in our history.

Read more: https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/inside-rabats-glorious-domvs-romana.851603?fbclid=IwAR0NWncyUbsf9A_Ox3dGFhAfJhL4EecSXMQDsNVYPVxFvBbAJSqzX0sDaps

Did you know that Malta has been used as a filming location since 1925 and that more than 100 productions have been partially or fully shot here?

Popular productions filmed in Malta include:

The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)
Midnight Express (1978)
Popeye (1980)
Clash of the Titans (1981)
Gladiator (2000)
The Count of Monte Cristo (2002)
Troy (2004), Munich (2005)
Game of Thrones (season 1: 2011 – 2019)
Kon-Tiki (2012)
Captain Philips (2013)
World War Z (2013)
By the Sea (2015)
Assassin’s Creed (2016)
13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi (2016)
Queen of the South (2016–)

The Maltese really let their hair down in the revelry of Carnival few days before the beginning of Lent. Malta’ traditional Carnival is a treat alike for the Island’s inhabitants and for the ever increasing number of tourists. This three day festivity was introduced in Malta 1535 under Grand Master Pietro del Ponte, five years after the Knights took over the Island. The main celebration takes place in the capital, Valletta, but in every town and village children dress up in colourful clothes to camouflage their identity. The Valletta parata (parade) is very spectacular, including King Carnival followed by many floats of a high professional standard. Until some years ago, Carnival was also the event of the year for dances and masked balls. This type of entertainment during Carnival had an old tradition behind it. Under the Knights the Auberges remained open and were delightfully decorated. The burning of King Carnival on the last day of the festivities also survived, up to some years ago.