Total outbound tourists for the first quarter in 2019 were estimated at 146,841, an increase of 6.6 per cent over the corresponding quarter of 2018, the NSO said today.

January-March

During the first quarter of 2019, outbound tourists towards EU and non-EU countries increased by 4.5 and 25.0 per cent respectively, when compared to the same quarter in 2018. Italy and the United Kingdom remained the most popular destinations, with a joint share of 49.9 per cent of total tourist trips.

Total nights spent by outbound tourists decreased by 0.6 per cent, amounting to 831,885 nights. In absolute terms, the majority of guest nights (58.3 per cent) were spent in rented accommodation establishments.

Total estimated outlay by outbound tourists between January and March increased by 9.3 per cent over the same quarter of 2018, and stood at €112.9 million, equivalent to an average €769 per trip.