In April 2008, total nights spent in collective accommodation establishments were recorded at 608,326, an increase of 0.8 per cent over the corresponding month in 2007. In the month under review the average length of stay stood at 5.9 nights.

Regional overview

Accounting for 95.5 per cent of the national bed-stock, the overall supply of bed-places in the Malta region stood at 36,600 beds, implying an increase of 0.9 per cent when compared to the same month in 2007. On an annual basis, the net use of bed-places in Malta went down by 2.2 percentage points to 55.6 per cent.

Year on year, the average length of stay increased by 0.1 nights to 6.0 nights. Nights spent by non-residents accounted for 96.7 per cent of total guest-nights in Malta.

In Gozo and Comino, the overall supply of bed-places stood at 1,711 beds, an increase of 4.8 per cent over the comparable month a year ago. The net use of bed-places in April was 29.3 per cent, implying a 9.2-percentage-point drop that can be explained by holiday breaks associated with a major feast that were taken earlier this year (in March). The average length of stay stood at 3.2 nights in April 2008. Nights spent by non residents accounted for 73.8 per cent of total guest-nights in Gozo.

In April bed-place occupancy in collective accommodation establishments went down by 2.5 percentage points when compared to the corresponding month last year.

Occupancy trends

The overall occupancy rate in collective accommodation establishments (net use) went down by 2.5 percentage points in April 2008 when compared to the same month a year ago, to stand at 54.4 per cent.

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