Inbound tourists in April 2008 are estimated to have increased by three per cent when compared to the same month in 2007. Year on year, total nights spent decreased by 14.9 per cent, the National Statistics Office reported.

April 2008

According to the ongoing frontier survey, tourist departures by air and sea in April 2008 are estimated at 104,892, implying an increase of three per cent over the same month in 2007. The increase reflects primarily a rise in the Italian, French and Spanish markets, while tourists coming from Scandinavia, Ireland and Switzerland registered decreases.

Results also show that 80.2 per cent of inbound tourists come to Malta on holiday.

Meanwhile, total nights spent decreased by 14.9 per cent when compared to the same month in 2007. Overall, the average length of stay is calculated at 7.2 nights, shorter by 1.6 nights when compared to April 2007.

January-April 2008

Inbound tourists for the first four months of 2008 are estimated at 316,581, implying an increase of 15 per cent over the corresponding period a year ago. In absolute terms, the growth is mostly attributable to an increase in holiday visits, mainly from the German, Italian and Spanish markets. On the other hand decreases were recorded in the British, Libyan and Swiss markets. 88.7 per cent of all inbound visits comprised tourists coming from EU member states.

Although there was an increase in repeat tourism, data show that the overall increase in the period under review was mainly brought about by a rise in first-time visits, with the latter estimated to account for 67.4 per cent of total visits. The largest age bracket comprised tourists aged 45-64 years, albeit the strongest increase is attributable to the 25-44 age bracket.

Total nights spent increased by 2.7 per cent when compared to the same period in 2007.

Nights spent in private accommodation registered an increase of 11.9 per cent, while guest nights in collective accommodation increased marginally by 0.1 per cent. More specifically, tourist nights in rented and owner-occupied accommodation and in lodgings with family and friends all registered increases. Regarding collective accommodation, the increase in total guest-nights registered in the five-star hotel category was contrasted with a decline in the three- and four-star categories.

Nights spent in establishments classified as “other collective” also registered an increase. The average length of stay is calculated at 7.8 nights, down by 0.9 nights when compared to last year’s level.

In the period under review, total tourist expenditure is estimated at e210.2 million, a decrease of 4.2 per cent over 2007, mainly the result of a shift from collective to private accommodation.

The survey results indicate that the per capita total expenditure is estimated at e674, compared to e812 during the corresponding period last year.