Total cruise passenger traffic during the third quarter of 2017 amounted to 214,497, an increase of 2.7 per cent over the corresponding period last year.

Cruise passengers: Q3/2017

There were 99 cruise liner calls during the third quarter of 2017, seven less than last year. At 76.9 per cent, transit passengers accounted for the absolute majority of total traffi c, reaching 164,947. A total of 7,466 passengers visited Gozo, while 14,129 passengers spent at least one night on board their berthed cruise liner. On average, every vessel that berthed in Malta carried 2,167 passengers, 197 more than last year.

Visitors from EU Member States comprised 71.9 per cent of total traffi c, the major markets being Germany, the United Kingdom and Italy. The total number of passengers from Non-EU countries stood at 60,217, of whom 37.5 per cent came from the United States.

On a gender basis, female passengers made up 52.5 per cent of the total. The largest share of passengers fell within the 40-59 age bracket and were followed by those aged between 60 and 79.

January-September 2017

The total number of cruise passengers registered during the fi rst nine months of 2017 stood at 482,855, a rise of 7.6 per cent over 2016. Of these, 72.0 per cent came from EU Member States. The biggest increase was recorded from the British market, which advanced by 51,773 passengers.

Female passengers numbered 255,890 and were in the majority. Most passengers were between 60 and 79 years old, amounting to 173,659. These were followed by passengers aged 40-59, reaching

159,584.

There were 248 cruise liner calls during the fi rst nine months, with an average 1,947 passengers per vessel, compared to 231 calls and an average 1,942 passengers per vessel in January-September

2016.