The Tourism Ministry said yesterday that tourism income between last November and last April had gone up by Lm8.5 million, or 6.8 per cent, to Lm133.2 million, when compared to the same period in the previous 12 months.

It did not give any tourist arrivals figures.

The statement was issued to rebut a claim by Labour leader Alfred Sant on TVM, that it was not true that tourist expenditure in the last months had gone up.

The tourism income was Lm24.3m in November, Lm14.7m in December, Lm18.5m in January, Lm16.2m in February, Lm23.6m in March, and Lm35.8m in April.