Malta Is Officially Reopen to All Vaccinated American Travelers
Joanna Demarco/Getty Images
As of Monday, Malta is now reopen to fully vaccinated Americans.
The Mediterranean island, which was the first EU country to reach herd immunity with nearly 70% of their population vaccinated, had previously allowed Americans in on a state-by-state basis. Travel to and from the U.S. was originally limited to 38 states — excluding Alabama, Arkansas, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, Oklahoma, Utah, and Wyoming.
Now, travelers who are vaccinated simply need to prove that they've received an EMA-approved vaccine, which include Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca/Oxford. American travelers must wait 14 days after their completed vaccine course before traveling to Malta.
However, from August 1, 2021 forward, American's vaccination cards will need to be verified through a CDC-approved app in order to be accepted as a valid vaccine certificate.
Joanna Demarco/Getty Images
The country's reopening is "another step forward for Malta's Tourism Sector, which is breathing life again, after COVID-19 restrictive measures were relaxed, slowly and gradually, keeping everyone's health and safety as a topmost priority, together with ensuring that Malta still has all the right ingredients for everyone to Feel Free Again," Johann Buttigieg, CEO of the Malta Tourism Authority, said in a statement provided to Travel + Leisure.
Malta is one of the European countries trying to lure back tourists this summer and fall. The country has launched a scheme to pay visitors who book at least a three-night stay at three- to five-star hotels. Visitors can earn up to $238 for booking three nights at a five-star hotel and those who visit the island of Gozo can earn an additional 10% incentive on top of that.
Cailey Rizzo is a contributing writer for Travel + Leisure, currently based in Brooklyn. You can find her on Twitter, Instagram, or at caileyrizzo.com.
