Occupancy trends during October 2004 reveal an overall increase in the gross/net use of bed-places by type of accommodation when compared to the same month in 2003, figures released by the National Statistics Office show. This increase is evident across the five-star as well as four-star hotel category and tourist villages. The highest net use level was recorded in the four-star hotel category at 75.8 per cent. This was followed by five-star hotels at 63.6 per cent.
Total nights spent in Malta and Gozo increased by 2.2 per cent when compared to same month in 2003. In the latter, the average nights spent totalled 7.0 in comparison to 6.7 in October 2004. On a regional level, an increase of 3.8 per cent in the share of nights spent by non-residents was recorded in the island of Malta.
Here, the average non-resident nights spent decreased from 7.4 in October 2003 to 7.1 in October 2004. A substantial drop was recorded in the number of resident nights in the island of Malta when compared to the same month in 2003. In Gozo, non-resident nights increased substantially, while the average nights spent dropped from 6.4 in October 2003 to 5.7 in October 2004.
Occupancy levels: Malta
The highest occupancy levels for accommodation establishments in the island of Malta were recorded in the four-star hotel category followed by the five-star hotel category.
The four-star hotel category increased from 62.5 per cent in October 2003 to 73.1 per cent in October 2004, while occupancy for the five-star category decreased from 99.0 per cent to 61.4 per cent. Here, increases in occupancy levels were recorded in the three-star hotel category and in tourist villages.
Occupancy levels: Gozo
In October 2004, the highest occupancy level for accommodation establishments in Gozo was recorded in the five-star hotel category at 63.3 per cent, a decrease when compared to 97.0 per cent in October 2003. The occupancy level within the four-star hotel category was recorded at 61.0 per cent, an increase over the 52.2 per cent recorded in October 2003.