Malta Is Officially Reopen to All Vaccinated American Travelers

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.

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.