Malta is paying some travelers to go on holiday this summer

After planning to lift most travel restrictions related to COVID-19 by June 1, Malta is now looking at ways to revive its tourism industry.

In light of doing that, Malta plans to offer incoming tourists a handout of up to $238 when they book a local hotel through the hotel website for a minimum of two nights, Tourism Minister Clayton Bartolo announced last week.

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The total compensation offered to a traveler is determined by the hotel’s ranking. Where a five-star property will get you the full 200 euro, a four-star hotel will get you 150 euro (about $179) and a three-star hotel will get you 100 euro (about $119). The compensation can be upped an extra 10% by booking a hotel on the Maltese island of Gozo, just north of the main island, according to Reuters.

Malta plans to reopen to fully vaccinated Britons as of June 1, with their vaccination card as proof. It's possible that the country could reopen to American tourists in the not-too-distant future.

When looking at vaccination levels, Malta is one of the safest EU countries to plan travel to. It’s already given at least one dose of a vaccine to 42% of adults as of last week. Given the successful vaccination program, Malta ranks as one of the highest in the EU in terms of overall vaccination levels. The positivity rate, reflecting the number of tests returning a positive result, has fallen to a low 2.6%.

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Malta has been steadily relying on tourism as an important source of income, directly and indirectly accounting for more than 27% of the Maltese economy. In 2020, visitor numbers fell by more than 80%. Malta’s Tourism Authority is aiming to benefit some 35,000 travelers with this scheme.