From Mr M. Pace Ross

I refer to the report on page six entitled “12% or 5%: NSO and MIA at odds on tourist decrease in December”(TMIS, 1 February).

NSO and MIA are not at odds on the tourist decrease in December. The report does not compare like with like.

The monthly passenger departures published by Malta International Airport cannot be equated to departing tourists published by NSO because the former is inclusive of departing Maltese and transit passengers. As a result, the monthly tourism statistics published by the NSO are always lower than the combined passenger departure data available from MIA.

This is clearly stated in note 7 under the methodological notes in news release 015/2009 published on 27 January, referred to in your report.

Michael Pace Ross

Director General

National Statistics Office