Total cruise passenger traffic during the first quarter of 2022 amounted to 25,200. There were 23 cruise liner calls during the first quarter, an increase of 14 when compared to the corresponding quarter of the previous year, the National Statistics Office said.

Transit passengers accounted for the absolute majority of total traffic, reaching 24,559. On average, every vessel that berthed in Malta carried 1,096 passengers, 211 more than the previous year.

Passengers from EU Member States made up 79.1% of total traffic. The major markets were Germany, accounting for 28.2% of the total passengers, followed by Italy, with 18.3%.

The total number of passengers from Non-EU countries stood at 5,276, of whom 38.9% came from the United States and 37.3% came from the United Kingdom.

On a gender basis, female passengers made up 52.5% of the total. The largest share of passengers fell within the 40-59 age bracket and were followed by those aged between 60 and 79 years.