New Year exodus to Gozo begins with long ferry queues on Boxing Day

Motorists planning to cross the Gozo channel for a relaxing start to the new year have been left stuck behind many others with similar plans.

On Boxing Day morning, long queues of cars stretched from the top of Dawret Il-Mellieħa to Ċirkewwa waiting to board a ferry. All four ferries have been shuttling passengers and vehicles from Ċirkewwa to Mġarr, with a spokesperson saying they are running at total capacity. Gozo Tourism Association CEO Joe Muscat put the long queues down to people making an early exit from Malta to spend New Year on the sister island.

Restaurants, hotels and farmhouses have indicated a busy end to the year. Traffic at a standstill gives some the opportunity to chat to people in cars around them. Photo: Jonathan Borg“We are expecting a very high occupancy rate this New Year’s weekend,” Muscat said. Despite the elimination of EU-wide COVID-19 travel restrictions that freed Maltese residents to go abroad for a mini-break this year, many have still chosen to count down the new year in Gozo, he said.  “The Maltese who did decide to travel abroad this year have been out-compensated by foreigners who chose to spend their holidays in Gozo,” he said. The...