The Malta Tourism Authority launched the campaign on Saturday (15 May), which features a travel agent call to action.
Advantage Travel Partnership member Sheffield, along with homeworking agency Not Just Travel and operator easyJet holidays, will feature in the MTA’s digital out-of-home advertising.
Ads will run for the next six months at The Moor in Sheffield and at Plymouth’s Drake Circus, and across various locations in London, Manchester and Liverpool. These include Wembley Box Park and Manchester Victoria railway station.
The MTA will also be offering training to agents in these regions; any interested agents should email peter.green@visitmalta.com.
The authority said the campaign underlined its commitment to the trade; Feel Free Now has been designed to inspire travellers to consider booking a trip to Malta when the time is right.
Malta expects to reopen to fully vaccinated British travellers in June. It has placed the UK on its amber list, which means non-vaccinated travellers will still be able to enter the country so long as they present evidence of a negative PCR test for Covid-19 taken up to 72 hours prior to departure.
The UK government has placed Malta on its amber list, meaning holidaymakers returning from the island destination will have to quarantine at home for 10 days and submit to PCR tests on days two and eight of their self-isolation.
According to the MTA, 60% of Malta’s adult population have received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, with 20% fully vaccinated with two doses.
Natalie Swinburne, MTA trade marketing manager UK and Ireland, said: “We’re always looking for new ways to support our trade partners, and we plan to incorporate travel agents into our advertising plans throughout 2021.
"We have deliberately chosen a broad range of the types of travel agents we work with, including the self-employed and smaller agencies within these key regions to help support our regional flight routes into Malta."
David Forder, Advantage head of marketing, said: “We’re always keen to support and work with our tourist board partners and get our members involved wherever possible. Campaigns like this provide an extra layer of confidence for consumers and reinforces the message to book with a trusted travel agent.”
Tolene Van Der Merwe, MTA director UK and Ireland, added: "We were hopeful Malta was going to be added to the UK’s green travel list last week, and while we didn’t make it this time, we remain positive that will change soon, and we are very much looking forward to welcoming back British travellers.
"The pent-up demand for travel is there, and we know travellers will be ready to head to the sunshine as soon as they get the green light to do so. In the meantime, the Malta Tourism Authority and our travel partners are here to inspire consumers for their next trip to the Maltese archipelago and to once again feel free again."
