What’s better than going on vacation to an idyllic archipelago in the Mediterranean? Answer: going on vacation to an idyllic archipelago in the Mediterranean and getting paid for it. Locations that rely heavily on tourism for their economy are looking for ways to bounce back this year. In one case, the answer is simple: giving people a financial incentive to spend their money.
The nation doing this is Malta — which has plenty of attractions even before the “go there, get paid” element is factored in.
A new article by Sean O’Neill at Skift explains just how the deal will work. Foreign travelers will receive up to €200 ($238) if they book a stay for three nights or more at a hotel in Malta. (Tourists will need to book their stay directly with the hotel.) The amount of money travelers will receive depends on the class of hotel where they’re staying; the money going back to the travelers will be issued by the Malta Tourism Authority and the hotel.
For visitors staying on the island of Gozo, there’s a slightly higher amount offered to sweeten the deal. Overall, the plan is for this to benefit 35,000 travelers.
Malta anticipates that the majority of its COVID-19 regulations will be lifted by June 1. According to O’Neill’s article, tourism “directly and indirectly accounts for more than 27% of Malta’s economy” — which helps explain why such dramatic measures have been taken. It’s not hard to see the appeal of this — though, before you book anything, you should probably see if any travel restrictions are currently in place.
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