Students travelling to Malta to learn English this summer will be handed up to €300 in vouchers to spend anywhere on the island as part of efforts to boost the English Language Tuition (ELT) sector.

Addressing a press conference, Tourism Minister Clayton Bartolo said the government will be budgeting €1 million to help schools get back on their feet after pandemic-related closures in recent months. 

Every student coming to Malta to learn English will be handed a a €10 voucher for every day spent on the island. To be eligible, students must spend a minimum of 15 nights in Malta, while the maximum amount they can receive will be capped at 30 nights, or €300. 

The vouchers can be spent in any outlets which accept government vouchers handed to Malta's residents. They cannot be exchanged for cash and will start to be handed out from June 1. 

Applications for the scheme open on Monday. Schools will be responsible for registering their students.

Through the scheme, the government expects some €7 million to be generated back into the economy.

How will registration work?

Bartolo said it will be the schools which will be tasked with signing up for the scheme. They must submit students' flight and course details as well as the students' personal details. 

The vouchers will then be sent to the school to be passed on to the students. 

The Malta Tourism Authority, which will handle the scheme, will be organising a webinar for stakeholders in the coming days.