Malta calls for safe travel corridors between countries which have controlled COVID-19

Tourism Minister Julia Farrugia Portelli urges EU to designate safe corridors between countries which successfully managed to control the coronavirus pandemic

Tourism Minister Julia Farrugia Portelli joined her counterparts from six other member states in calling on the EU to put in place mechanisms to spearhead tourism post-COVID-19
Tourism Minister Julia Farrugia Portelli joined her counterparts from six other member states in calling on the EU to put in place mechanisms to spearhead tourism post-COVID-19

Malta's Tourism Minister has called on the EU to designate safe travel corridors between countries which have been successful in their management of COVID-19 as part of efforts to revive Europe's tourism industry.

The proposal was put forward by Julia Farrugia Portelli during an EU's virtual tourism ministers' conference on Tuesday, which also saw Malta and another six member states call for mechanisms to sprearhead tourism growth post-pandemic.

Malta, together with Spain, Portugal, Greece, Italy, Cyprus and Bulgaria presented a joint statement to the European Commission calling for strong financial allocation for tourism in its recovery plan that is being drafted. 

The Tourism Ministry underlined in a statement that it is imperative that this plan addresses national specificities, particularly island state economies like Malta, which are dependent on international tourism, and the introduction of new protocols so that tourism can be re-opened. 

The six countries' joint statement calls for short and long-term measures to assist those tourism associated sectors in
mitigating the COVID-19 effects. 

It also acknowledges that the countries situated on the EU periphery are the worst affected and underscores the importance of assisting airlines securing their connectivity. 

In the meantime, together with the safe corridors proposal, Farrugia Portelli also called for a strong commitmet at EU level regarding the re-opening of the tourism sector. She said there were risks which needed to be managed, and that new protocols in this regard were required, particularly concerning flights, accommodation and entertaintment.

She also proposed that EU assistance should not be limited to financial instruments that would burden operators with additional debt but must also include the possibility of grants. Tourism can be the enabler of a wider recovery of our economies, and it will pay to invest in it, the minister emphasised.

Farrugia Portelli moreover proposed that a recovery strategy must also take into consideration geographic disparities and differences. For island member states such as Malta, the aviation sector is more than just an integral part of the tourism sector - it is the main bridge to the outside world and is vital for the country's connectivity, she stressed, adding that airlines should be supported as they would be re-starting the economy.

She went on to urge the EU to take a definite stand on the package travel directive and air passenger regulation. While acknowledging that consumer rights must remain protected at all times, there needs to be a proper balance regarding the voucher proposal to protect the travel sector, she said, underscoring that the EU needs to look at the unlevel playing field that has been created by individual national policies. 

Her final proposal was for an investment in the upskilling of the workforce and the upgrade of tourism product. COVID-19 presents an opportunity to start afresh by making the tourism industry more sustainable, she added.