MDINA — In a shocking move, the Mayor of Mdina has declared the ancient city a no-cliched-memes zone. This comes after an alarming rise in tourists posting on social media, declaring in unoriginal captions that ‘Malta is not just sun and fun.’
”We have a rich history, beautiful architecture, and a lot of limestone!” exclaimed Mayor Tumas while standing atop the fortified walls of the silent city. “But these tourists, they just don’t see it. Instead, we get endless posts about how Mdina is ‘more than just a summer holiday’ and blabber about sunsets like they’re in a commercial! Uwejj, give me a break!”
Local residents, who pride themselves on their serenity and unique charm, say the influx of such posts has turned their peaceful atmosphere into a content farm for social media wannabes. “Every time I step outside, I feel like I’m in a photoshoot for a discount travel brochure,” said local artist Marija. “Next, they’ll start using filters to ‘enhance’ the natural beauty. Aħna mhux ħaġa ta’ Instagram!”
Under the new regulations, any tourist caught using phrases like, “Waking up in a postcard,” or “Hidden gems everywhere!” could face hefty fines, which the mayor plans to use to fund local initiatives. When asked how they plan to enforce the rule, Karmenu, head of the local policing unit, said, “We’ll have eyes everywhere, especially at the cafés serving pastizzi. We can’t have any more ‘foodie’ posts in front of our marġerita pie!”
This move comes as part of a broader effort to preserve the historic aura of Mdina and return to its roots of genuine Maltese charm, as officials seek to limit the barrage of generic captioned photos that plague social media platforms. “We need to remind tourists that they are in a place with depth,” the Mayor added. “It’s not just about how many ‘likes’ you get on your sun-kissed beach photo.”
At press time, the Mayor announced he might expand the no-cliché-memes zone to other historical sites across Malta, starting with Valletta, where tourists have begun to call it merely ‘Instagrammable.’