In 2016, total guests in collective accommodation establishments surpassed 1.6 million, an increase of 2.1 per cent over the same period in 2015. Total nights spent went up by 0.6 per cent, reaching nearly 9.0 million. The net use of bed-places advanced by 0.2 percentage points to 63.7 per cent, the NSO said today.

Total guests and nights spent  during December 2016 advanced by 17.3 and 13.5 per cent respectively when compared to the corresponding month in 2015.

In December, total guests in collective accommodation establishments numbered 109,011, while total nights spent amounted to 500,179. All collective accommodation categories registered increases in total nights spent. The largest share of guest nights was reported in 4-star hotels, accounting for 231,050 nights, or 46.2 per cent of the total.

The average length of stay in collective accommodation establishments in December 2016 went down by 0.1 when compared to the same month in 2015, reaching 4.6 nights. The net use of bed-places stood at 44.1 per cent, up by 5.6 percentage points when compared to the corresponding month of the previous year.

On a national level, there were 161 active collective accommodation establishments during December, with a net capacity of 16,694 bedrooms and 37,209 bed-places.

Regional breakdown

Total guests in Malta numbered 103,806, up by 18.4 per cent over December 2015. Additionally, an increase of 13.9 per cent was recorded in the number of nights spent. The average length of stay edged down by 0.2 of a night to 4.7, when compared with the same month of the previous year, while the net occupancy rate advanced from 39.0 per cent to 45.0 per cent.

Total guests in Gozo and Comino increased slightly to 5,205, while total nights spent went up by 2.2 per cent to 13,721 when compared to the comparative month of the previous year.