The total number of inbound and domestic tourists who visited the Gozo and Comino region last year amounted to 388,213. In fact domestic tourists accounted for almost 90% of total tourism demand within this region, the National Statistics Office reported today.

Malta residents travelling to Gozo and Comino region totalled 348,489, or just under 97% of total domestic tourists.

The data also shows that domestic tourism across regions stood at 360,460 total arrivals, an increase of 52% when compared to 2019.

The NSO said that the total number of inbound and domestic tourists who visited the Malta region amounted to 649,878, with inbound tourists accounting for 98% of total tourists visiting this region.

Significant increases have been noted in the domestic tourists and the number of nights spent during the summer months (June-September 2020) when compared to 2019 levels, the NSO said.

It explained that this has been greatly attributed from the fact that residents in Malta preferred to travel to Gozo and Comino region due to Covid-19 related travel restrictions.

Most of domestic tourists travelled for holiday purposes (80%) and spent between 1 and 3 nights (81%).

The average length of stay increased from 2.6 to 3.0 compared with 2019 levels. Domestic tourist nights totalled 1,064,868, an increase of 72% over 2019.

Total expenditure by domestic tourists was estimated at €59.4 million, an increase of 51% when compared to the previous year, the NSO said. The average expenditure per capita stood at €165, a decrease of €1 over 2019.

Domestic tourists to Gozo and Comino region, who stayed in rented accommodation amounted to 206,782, an increase of 41% over 2019. More than half of the domestic stays in rented accommodation (72%) were in other rented accommodation establishments.

The majority of domestic tourist nights (59%) were in rented accommodation, of which 77% were spent in other rented accommodation.. Domestic tourism expenditure in Gozo and Comino region was estimated at almost €57.8 million, an increase of 61% over 2019.

Domestic tourism to Malta region Gozo and Comino residents who travelled to Malta region in 2020 as domestic tourists totalled 11,971, a decrease of 45.5 per cent over 2019.

The NSO said that last year, domestic tourism expenditure in Malta region was estimated at almost €1.6 million, a decrease of 54% over 2019.

File Photo by Alain Salvary

Permalink: Domestic tourists accounted for almost 90% of demand in Gozo