Total guests and nights spent in collective accommodation establishments during August 2016 declined by 3.9 and 5.6 per cent respectively when compared to the corresponding month in 2015, the NSO said.

In August, total guests in collective accommodation establishments numbered 167,688, while total nights spent amounted to 1,070,959. Collective accommodation categories registered decreases in total nights spent, with the exception of 2-star hotels. The largest share of guest nights was reported in 4-star hotels, accounting for 497,137 nights, or 46.4 per cent of the total.

The average length of stay in collective accommodation establishments went down to 6.4 nights in August 2016 from 6.5 nights in the same month of 2015. The net use of bed-places stood at 84.0 per cent, down by 2.8 percentage points when compared to the corresponding month last year.

On a national level, there were 176 active collective accommodation establishments during August, with a net capacity of 18,195 bedrooms and 41,168 bed-places.

Regional breakdown

Total arrivals in Malta numbered 157,101, down by 4.2 per cent over August 2015. Additionally, a decrease of 5.5 per cent was recorded in the number of nights spent. The average length of stay edged down by 0.1 of a night to 6.5, when compared to last year, while the net occupancy rate declined from 87.1 per cent to 84.6 per cent. Total arrivals and nights spent in Gozo and Comino decreased by 0.4 and 8.1 per cent when compared to the comparative month last year, to 10,587 and 45,187 respectively.

January-August

Total guests during the first eight months of 2016 amounted to 1,073,550, a decrease of 0.1 per cent over the same period in 2015. Total nights spent went down by 0.6 per cent, reaching nearly 6.1 million (Table 2). The net use of bed-places declined by 1.1 percentage points to 65.1 per cent.