Tourists who are arriving in Malta are being advised to keep their eyes closed when travelling between the airport, their hotel and places of interest across the island.
The advice can be found in leaflets created by the Malta Tourism Authority, which are being handed out to foreign visitors at the airport and the cruise ship terminal.
The leaflet states that a new strain of Covid-19 that is extremely transmissible through a person’s eyes has been found in Malta. According to the leaflet, the only places that are free from this variant are Valletta and Mdina, together with all of Malta’s beaches and historical landmarks.
“Unfortunately, we have run out of protective eyewear, so we recommend you either close your eyes or use a spare face-mask as a blindfold to avoid getting infected,” the leaflet says.
“You should only open your eyes/remove your blindfold when you are inside your hotel, or one of the places mentioned above.”
Should tourists be using public transport, MTA officials will be on hand to guide them to the nearest bus stop. Similarly, several tourism officials have been seconded to car rental companies to direct drivers from the passenger seat.
Tourism Minister Clayton Bartolo said the elaborate ruse had been created to make sure Malta’s touristic experience as positive as possible.
“We have so many beautiful sites in this country, so it would be a shame if people went back and told their friends about the tower cranes, roadworks, ugly town centres and rubbish in the streets – all the things locals see on a daily basis, basically,” Bartolo said.
“I also wanted them to block their ears so they can’t hear all the heavy machinery, but I was told that would be too disorienting, so instead we’re telling them that the noise is just traditional Maltese music.”
The MTA has also ordered hotels in all towns except Valletta and Mdina to black out their windows.
“We will not be beaten by other Mediterranean countries. Not on my watch,” Bartolo said.
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