Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1371271
9 EDITORIAL BusinessToday is published every Thursday. The newspaper is a MediaToday publication and is distributed to all leading stationers, business and financial institutions and banks. MANAGING EDITOR: SAVIOUR BALZAN EDITOR: PAUL COCKS BusinessToday, MediaToday, Vjal ir-Rihan, San Gwann SGN9016, Malta Newsroom email: bt@mediatoday.com.mt Advertising: afarrugia@mediatoday.com.mt Telephone: 00356 21 382741 M alta failed to make the UK's travel green list when this was unveiled last week, which served as a damper for tourism opera- tors. e science or rather procedure adopted by the UK authorities to de- termine the green list is baffling to say the least. e inclusion of the unin- habited islands of South George and South Sandwich Islands, and the mil- itary bases of Ascension and Tristan de Cunha in the green list at the ex- pense of other destinations is a polite way of keeping the doors shut without actually saying so. e urge to look inward at a time of crisis is understandable. at is what the UK is probably trying to achieve by putting in 'scientific' obstacles to outward travel – British people will spend their cash inside the UK in- stead of abroad. But it would be a mistake if econom- ic nationalism were to prevail at the expense of a free market economy. Vigilance and travel restrictions will continue to be necessary tools to con- trol the pandemic but at a time when Europe is eyeing a recovery these have to be grounded in science and applied transparently. e UK market remains an impor- tant one for Malta's tourism pros- pects, which is why getting on that green list is necessary. e science does show that the COVID-19 situation in Malta has improved and continues to get better week after week. New cases have dropped radically, the number of active cases is also de- creasing, the positivity rate and hospi- talisations are also significantly down. At the same time, the rapid inocula- tion rollout means that by next week, Malta will have achieved 70% popu- lation coverage with at least the first dose of the coronavirus vaccine. If the same vaccination rates are maintained, 70% of the population would be fully vaccinated by the end of July. e vaccination programme is mov- ing fast ahead while restrictive meas- ures continue to be lifted in a gradual manner and only after previous deci- sions to relax measures are allowed to run their course. e situation is cautiously positive and offers hope that Malta's tourism industry and consequently its econ- omy can start to recover during the summer. e UK setback should not damp- en those prospects. Hopefully, when the UK green travel list is reviewed in three weeks' time Malta will be on that list. However, it is amply clear that the initial months of the recovery will de- pend on domestic spending and the €100 government vouchers that will be delivered from the 7 June are an important cash injection for the sum- mer. e European Commission's Spring Forecast released yesterday says that Malta's fast vaccination drive, paired with a gradual easing of restrictions in the EU and a high vaccination rate in the UK, is set to put the tourism sec- tor on the path to recovery. e tourism rebound is slated for the second half of 2021 if the current rate of improvement is maintained. e Spring forecast sees Malta ex- periencing a robust recovery in 2021 and 2022 once tourism bounces back. Two things remain crucial: govern- ment's continued financial support for industry, which is possible because of the robust finances that gave the country a breathing space; and pan- demic-related decisions that continue being informed by scientific evidence. e hope that has been kindled must be nurtured. A damper and hope 13.5.2021