The National Statistics Office has issued some figures and statistics in news releases in connection with the standard of living for January and August 2007. Some of these include: external trade, outbound tourism and employment.
When compared to August 2006, the visible trade gap narrowed by Lm14.1 million in August 2007, according to the International Trade Statistics Unit and Economic Statistic division. The decrease in imports reached Lm15 million while the decrease in exports amounted to Lm0.9 million. This decrease during August 2007 was mainly visible in the machinery and transport equipment sector.
For the first eight months of the year, higher import values were registered for fuel, lubricants and consumer goods, while industrial supplies and capital goods imports registered decreases. During this period the increase in exports was generated primarily by food, chemicals, miscellaneous manufactured articles and mineral fuels and lubricants.
The bulk of Malta’s trade flows and consequent trade deficit continued to be directed to the European Union during the first eight months of 2007.
According to the statistics compiled by the Tourism Statistics Unit, outbound Maltese tourists for August were estimated to be 35,836, implying an increase of 15.1 per cent over the same month last year. 88.4 per cent of these travelled by air.
A total of 29,177 Maltese tourists travelled to European Union destinations, the most popular being Italy and the UK.
Between January to August 2007, the number of Maltese passengers travelling by air and sea amounted to 188,163 which shows an increase of 12.1 per cent over the same period last year. 85.5 per cent of these travelled to European Union destinations, the most popular being Italy and the UK.
Male outbound travellers exceeded female ones as they account for 58.4 per cent of the total. Passengers between 25 and 44 years old comprised 45.3 per cent of outbound passengers while those between 45 to 64 years old accounted for 39.3 per cent of total Maltese travellers.
According to the labour market data provided by the Employment and Training Corporation (ETC) in June 2007 the full-time gainfully occupied population increased by 587 persons while unemployment decreased by 724 persons when compared to June 2006.
In the private sector, there was an increase in employment in real estate, renting and business activities. This sector also included accounting and auditing activities, business and management consultancy, architectural and engineering activities, advertising, security activities, industrial cleaning and call centres.
There was also growth in employment in community, social and personal services activities, which also encompasses betting companies and entertainment activities among other services.
Other domains within the private sector which have reported a growth in employment include education, health and social work.
The main domains within the private sector which have seen a drop in the employment rate were hotels and restaurants, manufacturing, transport, storage and communication.
With regard to the public sector, from June 2006 to June 2007, the employment rate went down by 597. The principal domains in which this decline took place were the following: transport, storage, and communication, construction, and electricity, gas and water supply. The health and social work activities were the only two exceptional domains as the rate of employment increased in these areas.