Total cruise passenger traffic during the third quarter of 2018 amounted to 188,943, a decrease of 11.9 per cent over the corresponding period in 2017, the NSO said today.

There were 95 cruise liner calls during the third quarter of 2018, four less than the previous year. At 80.0 per cent, transit passengers accounted for the absolute majority of total traffi c, reaching 151,204.

A total of 6,819 passengers visited Gozo, while 11,949 passengers spent at least one night on board their berthed cruise liner. On average, every vessel that berthed in Malta carried 1,989 passengers, 178 less than the previous year.

Passengers from EU Member States comprised 66.8 per cent of total traffic, the major markets being the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy and Spain. The total number of passengers from Non-EU countries stood at 62,640, of whom 43.7 per cent came from the United States. On a gender basis, female passengers made up 52.1 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 2018.

During the first nine months of the year, total cruise passengers stood at 441,547, a drop of 8.6 per cent over 2017. Of these, 67.0 per cent came from EU Member States. Female passengers numbered 234,933 and were in the majority. Most passengers were between 60 and 79 years old, amounting to 168,830. These were followed by passengers aged 40-59, reaching 142,844.

There were 215 cruise liner calls during the fi rst nine months of 2018, with an average 2,054 passengers per vessel, compared to 248 calls and an average 1,947 passengers per vessel in January-September 2017.