It takes an average of 83 tourists to sustain a full-time job or equivalent in Malta, a report commissioned by the Tourism Ministry shows.

The report, which was prepared by E-Cubed Consultants, focused on the contribution of the tourism industry to the Maltese economy in 2014.

Tourism is directly responsible for 20,500 full-time equivalent jobs, approximately 11% of the total. But it is also indirectly responsible for an estimated 7,300 jobs - a conservative estimate, according to the report's lead author Gordon Cordina.

On average, the report found every €10 million in tourist expenditure sustains 137 jobs - roughly €73,000 per job - while every 10,000 visitors sustain 121 jobs.

Last year's record tourist numbers contributed to the creation of 500 full-time equivalent jobs, around 10% of the total created last year.

The report shows that tourism is responsible for one in seven jobs in Malta, but the proportion goes up to one in five jobs in Gozo, which is more heavily dependent on tourism. In fact, the report shows that expenditure by international tourists in Gozo amounted to €185 million last year, practically half of the island's GDP, while Maltese visitors and tourists contributed an additional €28 million to the island's economy.

Dr Cordina noted that while domestic tourism was also a reality in Malta - particularly in the north of the island - precise figures remained unavailable. However, the report recommends that the potential of domestic tourism should be exploited further.