March 2009 – In the month under review, Maltese residents departing by air and sea were estimated at 20,809, a decrease of 12.9 per cent over March 2008. The majority were in the 25-44 age bracket. Of total outbound tourists, 18,117 visited an EU destination, the most popular being the UK and Italy, while 2,692 chose destinations outside the EU. A change in the timing of Easter, from March in 2008 to April in 2009, contributed to the drop in March this year. March 2008 figures may have also been affected by residents travelling to and from Malta to vote in the General Elections.

January-March 2009 – The number of Maltese passengers departing by air and sea during the first quarter of 2009 amounted to 57,403, a decrease of 3.2 per cent over the corresponding period last year. Of these, 85.9 per cent travelled to EU destinations; the most visited countries were the UK and Italy.

Male outbound passengers exceeded female ones, the former accounting for 60.7 per cent of the total. The largest proportion of outbound passengers – 50.3 per cent – comprised passengers aged between 25 and 44 years, followed by those in the 45-64 age bracket who accounted for 38.1 per cent of total outbound tourists.

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