Malta's Winter Tourism Plummets as Storm Harry Causes Desolation
# EU Winter Sun Hotspot Becomes 'Ghost Town' as Storm Forces Tourists to Seek Shelter
## Malta Struck Hard by Storm Harry
Malta's popular winter tourism destination has transformed into a desolate scene as Storm Harry wreaked havoc across the islands. The storm has brought heavy rainfall and strong winds, prompting tourists to take cover and seek shelter. Local businesses and tourist attractions are feeling the impact as visitors stay indoors and avoid the inclement weather.
The normally vibrant capital, Valletta, has taken on an eerie silence. "Valletta felt like a ghost town, with businesses closed, restaurants shuttered and tourist attractions, including many of the city's museums and palaces, simply not open," noted Rachael, a local resident observing the drastic change.
Typically, January in Malta features pleasant weather, with comfortable temperatures around 16C and a good amount of sunshine. However, the storm's arrival has disrupted this pattern. "Weather here in January is usually perfect, cool but bright with plenty of sunshine and temperatures sitting around 16C with the evenings getting a little chillier. In all the years of visiting at this time of year I've only ever seen it rain a handful of times, but this year Storm Harry rolled in, bringing torrential rain and violent winds, prompting severe weather warnings and advice to stay indoors while it passed," a local stated from the safety of her Valletta home.
With local tourism heavily impacted, authorities have issued severe weather warnings, advising individuals to remain indoors as the storm continues to unfold. The situation has sparked concerns about the effect of such weather conditions on Malta’s winter tourist season.