Tourstat data for September estimates inbound tourism at 163,251, an increase of 6.0 per cent over last year. Total nights spent went up by 13.9 per cent, bringing the average length of stay to 9.5 nights.

Tourstat survey results indicate that 142,767 tourists visited Malta for holiday purposes in September, accounting for the absolute majority of tourism trips. A drop was registered in the number of business tourists.

Furthermore, first-time visitors rose by 8 per cent over 2011. Inbound tourists from EU Member States went up by 5 per cent, while tourists from outside the EU increased by 10 per cent. Tourists travelling by air went up by 6.9 per cent, while those travelling by sea dropped by 16 per cent.

The UK remained Malta’s main tourism market, with a share of 30 per cent of total inbound trips, followed by Italy at 13 per cent. Major tourism markets remained practically unchanged when compared to last year, except for the French market which advanced by 19 per cent.

Total nights spent during September reached almost 1.6 million, the majority of which were spent in collective accommodation establishments. Nights spent in private accommodation rose by 24 per cent, while guest nights in hotels and other collective accommodation establishments advanced by 8 per cent. Overall, the average length of stay stood at 9.5 nights, up by 0.6 of a night when compared to September last year.

During the reference month, total expenditure was estimated at €170.9 million – a rise of 16 per cent over 2011. Expenditure on package travel advanced by 13 per cent and stood at almost €57.8 million, while non-package expenditure increased by 17 per cent, reaching €45.7 million.

Inbound tourism during January to September increased to 1,144,537 when compared to the previous year. In absolute terms, the main origin of inbound tourists continued to be the British market, yet a significant increase was recorded in the Libyan, Russian, and American markets. On the other hand, the Belgian, British and Italian markets recorded a downward shift when compared to last year.

Over the cumulative period, non-package travel was slightly higher than package travel, with an estimated 52 per cent of the total. Nonetheless, inbound tourists opting for package travel advanced by 3 per cent when compared to 2011.

On a gender basis, results show that male tourists exceeded females, accounting for 52 per cent of the total. The largest proportion of inbound tourists were aged between 45 and 64. Meanwhile, a substantial increase (11 per cent) was noted in the number of tourists aged 65 and over.

Total nights spent rose by 7 per cent, surpassing the 10.0 million mark. Nights spent in collective and private accommodation establishments went up by 4 and 14 per cent respectively. In absolute terms, the majority of guest nights were spent in hotel accommodation. The average length of stay for this period stood at 8.8 nights, up by 0.5 of a night over 2011.

During the same period, total tourist expenditure was estimated at €1.1 million, up by 8 per cent when compared to 2011. Increases were recorded throughout all expenditure categories. The total per capita expenditure stood at €943 – an increase of 6 per cent when compared to last year.

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