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3 NEWS 21.01.2021 FROM PAGE 1 Data made available by Air- ports Council International (ACI) shows that European airports in general suffered the same plight last year, with this airport group registering an overall contraction in passen- ger traffic of 79.6 per cent and reporting the cumulative loss of over 6,000 routes. Recovery and the way ahead Several international industry organisations are predicting that, following an extremely rocky first quarter of 2021, the tourism industry may expect to start seeing signs of recovery with the onset of the summer season. "In order for this prediction to materialise it is imperative that, over the next weeks, measures aimed at boosting consumer confidence take centre stage. A faster vaccine roll-out should be complemented by the es- tablishment of much-needed uniform testing regimes and travel requirements at a Eu- ropean level," said MIA CEO Alan Borg, whilst highlighting that failure to act quickly in this regard could result in another lost summer with catastrophic implications for the tourism in- dustry and the wider economy. Borg welcomed the Interna- tional Air Transport Associa- tion's (IATA) recent appeal to key EU policymakers to agree on a common digital European Covid-19 vaccination certifi- cate, which would constitute a huge stride towards the safe reopening of borders without the need for testing and quar- antines. He said that this critical time should be used to put in place the technology required to scan such certificates and make the entry into the country as seamless as possible. Despite the current uncertain- ty and shorter-term planning, MIA and the Malta Tourism Authority have remained in active discussions with partner airlines to work on rebuilding Malta's connectivity. Stakeholder collaboration in this regard is essential for the Maltese islands to be able to enjoy connections with Europe and beyond offered by a mix of low-cost and flag carriers. Mitigation measures and guidance Given that the first quarter of 2021 is expected to be as chal- lenging as 2020, MIA remains committed to work actively to- wards the preservation of the company's liquidity through any cost-cutting measures deemed necessary. e company's Board of Di- rectors is scheduled to meet on 24 February to conduct an assessment of the current situa- tion, which continues to evolve. During this meeting, the Board of Directors will be ap- proving the company's financial statements for the year end- ed on 31 December 2020 and discussing other items on the agenda, including shareholder dividend. While MIA generally pub- lishes a forecast for the year in January, given the fluidity of the current situation and limited visibility of the way ahead, the company said it does not have sufficient data to provide the market with reliable guidance at this time. MIA will not publish 2021 forecast MICOLE MEILAK ANY health restrictions the authorities may consider for the carnival weekend will be supported by the Chamber of Commerce, its president said on Wednesday. David Xuereb said the Cham- ber will support any measures even if they result in a potential short-term reduction in reve- nues for business, he told Busi- nessToday. He was reacting to the grow- ing concern of a possible second surge in COVID-19 infections after carnival as happened in the wake of the Christmas hol- idays and New Year festivities. Farmhouses in Gozo have re- ported good bookings for the carnival break between 12 and 16 February, despite renowned street festivities in Nadur being cancelled because of the pan- demic. Xuereb explained that as long as people remain in good health and avoid serious complica- tions, Malta will see greater economic growth once the pan- demic comes to an end. "Our members will not be hap- py with a potential reduction of revenues, but respectability and accountability demand that we do this. ere will be economic hardship, but this is the life we have to lead," he said. e authorities are current- ly discussing the way forward on COVID measures during the carnival weekend, after the Christmas period saw many people booking farmhouses in Gozo. Since the Christmas holidays Malta is experiencing a record number of total active cases, which currently stands at 2,831. With overseas travel quaran- tine restrictions in place, Gozo is in high-demand as Maltese residents look for a quick geta- way. On top of this, Gozo is a pop- ular carnival destination for the Maltese, in large because of the spontaneous Nadur carnival festivities. e Nadur council has called off the festivities and urged peo- ple not to gather in groups. It also warned that any gatherings noticed in the locality will be duly reported to police. COVID-19: Chamber vows to back restrictions for carnival weekend Coronavirus costumes were the main feature of the Nadur carnival last year

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