Half the respondents of an online poll by The Malta Independent said they spent Santa Marija week working instead of keeping up with tradition and going to spend a weekend in Gozo.

According to the results of the three-week online poll, 53.8 per cent (661) of the respondents said they would continue working throughout without stopping for a break.

However, another 24.5 (301) per cent said they took the week off but spent it in Malta while another 9.1 (112) per cent went up to Gozo.

The remaining 12.6 (155) per cent of respondents said they went abroad for a holiday.

However, as stated in an exclusive story published in this newspaper earlier this week, Gozo was still a popular option with thousands of Maltese residents crossing over to Gozo for the week of Santa Marija, with 7,700 more people travelling to the sister island for the feast this year than last year.

The Santa Marija week is a very busy one for restaurants, bars and places offering accommodation in Gozo. Several hotels reported that they were fully booked, and much of the self-catering accommodation was also fully booked during the week.

Renting accommodation can be quite expensive, with prices ranging from Lm30 to over Lm80 a night during the Santa Marija period.

While most Gozitans complain about the influx of visitors, most businesses look forward to this week with restaurants – particularly those in Xlendi, Victoria and Marsalforn – with hotels, flats and farmhouses packed.