Statistics to download (All files are in Acrobat pdf format)
Malta's tourism industry 1964-2005 • Tourism departures 2004 • Tourism departures 2005
Tourism departures 2006 • Tourism departures 2007 • Tourism departures 2008 • Tourism departures 2009 • Tourism departures 2010

Data bank index
January 2010 - January tourism figures upbeat
February 2010 - February arrivals 3.6% up
March 2010 - Arrivals up 7% in Q1
April 2010 - Ash causes arrivals drop, but improves LoS

Ash causes arrivals drop, but improves LoS

Valletta, 01/06/10 – As was expected, the Icelandic volcanic ash cloud was the reason for the drop in arrivals in April, estimated at 100,539 – a one per cent drop over last year’s figure.

The ash cloud shut large areas of northern European airspace for several days and had a serious knock-on effect on tourist arrivals. However, total guest nights rose five per cent to 745,693, as tourists stranded in Malta were obliged to extend their stay.

A shift towards travel by sea was also noted and German and British arrivals were adversely affected, registering a drop of 33 and six per cent respectively, the National Statistics Office reports.

On the other hand, there were more Italian tourists in April.

While the majority of tourists visiting Malta were holidaymakers, business travel “registered a decline”, in NSO-speak.

Arrivals between January and April, meantime, were estimated at 286,758, an increase of four per cent in comparison with 2009. Overall, this change was mostly attributed to an increase in holiday visits, mainly from the Italian, Spanish and Scandinavian markets. Decreases were recorded in the German and Swiss markets.

The majority of tourists opted for non-package travel, whilst package trips recorded a slight increase.
The largest proportion of tourists was aged between 45 and 64. These were followed by those in the 25 to 44 age bracket.

Furthermore, the majority of tourists were first-time visitors, albeit an increase of three per cent in the number of repeat tourists was recorded.

Between January and April, total nights spent increased by six per cent. Guest nights in hotels and private accommodation increased by six and five per cent respectively.

The average length of stay (LoS) stood at 7.8 nights, up by 0.1 when compared to last year.
During the period under review, total tourist expenditure was estimated at €214 million. This translates into an increase of 12 per cent over 2009.

Results indicate that per capita expenditure was estimated at €758, up by seven per cent compared to 2009 levels.

Arrivals up 7% in Q1

Valletta, 01/05/10 – Tourist arrivals in March stood at 76,436, an increase of 7.4 per cent when compared to the corresponding month last year. During the same period, total nights spent were estimated at 631,155, the National Statistics Office reports.

The NSO’s data shows that 57,225 tourists visited Malta for a holiday, accounting for the majority of arrivals. A further 11,618 were in Malta on business.

The majority of tourists live in EU member states, while the number of non-EU tourists was estimated at 7,310. First-time visitors comprised 63 per cent of tourists, while repeat visitors recorded an increase of 17 per cent.

During the same period, nights spent in both hotels and private accommodation registered an increase. Overall, 83 per cent of tourists stayed in hotels, while 17 per cent made use of private accommodation.
The average length of stay was calculated at 8.3 nights, up by 0.7 nights when compared to March 2009.

During the first quarter of 2010 an estimated 186,462 people visited Malta, an increase of seven per cent compared to the corresponding period last year. In absolute terms, this change was mostly attributed to an increase in holiday visits, mainly from the Italian, Spanish and British markets. Decreases were recorded in the German and Russian markets.

Overall, the majority of tourists stayed for seven nights or more.

Total nights spent during the quarter advanced by six per cent. An increase in hotel stays was recorded, as opposed to a drop in the private accommodation category.

The average length of stay was eight nights, down by 0.1 when compared to last year.

In the period under review, total tourist expenditure is estimated at €136 million, up by 18 per cent over 2009. Increases were recorded throughout all expenditure categories.

The total expenditure per capita was estimated at €742, up by nine per cent when compared to 2009 levels.

February arrivals 3.6% up

Valletta, 05/04/10 - In February an estimated 53,074 people visited the islands, an increase of 3.6 per cent over the same month in 2009.

According to the National Statistics Office, 43,998 people travelled to Malta for a holiday and a further 6,334 came on business. As always, the majority of tourists were from EU member states and accounted for 88 per cent of the total. The number of non-EU visitors was estimated at 6,333.

First time visitors made up the majority of arrivals, with an estimated 62 per cent of the total.

During the same period, guest nights in hotels remained comparatively stable, while total nights spent in private accommodations showed a drop. Overall, 84 per cent of tourists chose to reside in hotels, while 16 per cent made use of private accommodations. The average length of stay was eight nights, down by 0.7 nights when compared to February 2009.

Meantime, for the first two months of the year, a total of 110,025 people travelled to Malta, an increase of seven per cent when compared to the corresponding period last year. In absolute terms, this change was mostly attributed to an increase in visits from the Italian, Spanish and British markets.

Total nights spent in the first two months of 2010 remained comparatively stable. Guest nights in hotels rose, while total nights in private accommodations dropped.

The average length of stay was 7.8 nights, down by 0.6 nights when compared to last year.
In the period under review, total tourist expenditure by was estimated at €79.1 million, an increase of 11 per cent. Per capita expenditure, meanwhile, was estimated at €729, up by three per cent when compared to 2009 levels.

January tourism figures upbeat

Valletta, 02/03/10 - An estimated 48,375 people travelled to Malta in January for a holiday, according to the National Statistics Office; whilst another 6,780 came to the islands for business purposes.

The majority of visitors live in EU member states and were predominantly UK and Italian residents. EU residents comprised 88 per cent of the total. In addition, the number of non-EU tourists was estimated at 7,090.

First-time visitors made up the majority of tourists, with an estimated 60 per cent of the total, an increase of 16 per cent when compared to corresponding month in 2009.

Total tourist nights in January were estimated at 436,450, up by four per cent compared to the corresponding month last year. Guest nights in hotels increased while total nights in private accommodation decreased. The average length of stay was 7.7 nights, down by 0.5 nights when compared to January 2009.

The total tourist expenditure in January was estimated at €42.1 million, up by 17 per cent when compared to January 2009.