The Covid-19 pandemic took its toll on the cruise industry last year, and as a result, the total cruise passenger traffic to the Maltese Islands during the fourth quarter of 2020 amounted to 11,825, this was a decrease of 92.9% over the corresponding period in 2019.

According to data released by the National Statistics Office today, there were 16 cruise liner calls during the fourth quarter of 2020, 70 less than the previous year, none called at Gozo.

The NSO noted that transit passengers accounted for the absolute majority of total traffic, reaching 11,695. On average, every vessel that berthed in Malta carried 739 passengers, 1,201 less than the previous year.

Passengers from EU Member States amounted to 11,239, the major markets being Italy, Germany and France. The total number of passengers from Non-EU countries stood at 586.

The NSO data shows that total cruise passengers for 2020 stood at 59,018, a decrease of 92.3% over 2019. Of these, 67.0% came from EU Member States.

There were 32 cruise liner calls in 2020, none called at Gozo, with an average 1,844 passengers per vessel, compared to 359 calls and an average 2,133 passengers per vessel in the comparative period of 2019, the NSO said.

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