In 2022, the total number of inbound and domestic tourists who visited the Gozo and Comino region amounted to 460,514, the NSO said. Domestic tourists accounted for 72.0 per cent of total tourism demand within this region.

The total number of inbound and domestic tourists who visited the Malta region reached 2.3 million, with inbound tourists accounting for 98.3 per cent of total tourists visiting this region.

Domestic tourism

During 2022, domestic tourism across regions stood at 369,000 total arrivals, a decrease of 5.0 per cent when compared to 2021. Malta residents travelling to Gozo and Comino region totalled 331,455, or 89.8 per cent of total domestic tourists. Most of domestic tourists travelled for holiday purposes (83.9 per cent) and spent between 1 and 3 nights (81.4 per cent). The average length of stay decreased from 2.8 to 2.7 nights compared with 2021 levels. Domestic tourist nights totalled 996,671, a decrease of 7.9 per cent over 2021. Total expenditure by domestic tourists was estimated at €63.4 million, a decrease of 20.0 per cent when compared to the previous year. The average expenditure per capita stood at €171.9, a decrease of €32.0 over 2021.

Domestic tourism to Gozo and Comino region

Domestic tourists to Gozo and Comino region, who stayed in rented accommodation amounted to 198,738, a decrease of 6.5 per cent over 2021. More than half of the domestic stays in rented accommodation (59.9 per cent) were in other rented accommodation establishments.

The majority of domestic tourist nights (63.1 per cent) were in rented accommodation, of which 68.9 per cent were spent in other rented accommodation.

Domestic tourism expenditure in Gozo and Comino region was estimated at almost €57.8 million, a decrease of 23.1 per cent over 2021.

Domestic tourism to Malta region

Gozo and Comino residents who travelled to Malta region in 2022 as domestic tourists increased significantly from 27,466 in 2021 to 37,545 in 2022, an increase of 36.7 per cent.

Slightly more than half (54.5 per cent) of domestic tourism nights by Gozo and Comino residents who travelled to Malta region were spent in non-rented accommodation. In 2022, domestic tourism expenditure in Malta region was estimated at almost €5.7 million, an increase of €1.5 million over 2021.

Inbound tourism

In 2022, inbound tourists in MALTA increased by 1.3 million persons, reaching 2,286,597 tourists. Single centre destination inbound tourism accounted for the majority of the trips (97.2 per cent) and the rest being twin centre destination trips.

Total nights spent by inbound tourists to MALTA surpassed 16.6 million, an increase of 8.2 million nights over 2021. Nights spent by single centre inbound tourists accounted for 95.9 per cent of total nights spent in MALTA. The remaining were nights spent on twin centre destination trips. Inbound tourist nights in the Malta region accounted for 94.6 per cent of the total, while the Gozo and Comino region accommodated 5.4 per cent of the total nights.

In 2022, total expenditure by inbound tourists to MALTA reached €2.0 billion. Expenditure by inbound tourists on single centre destination trips accounted for 96.7 per cent of total.

Single centre destination trips: Malta region

In 2022, inbound tourists to Malta region as a single centre destination reached 2,157,538 tourists. Most of the inbound tourists were aged between 25 and 44 (39.8 per cent) and came from EU Member States (70.0 per cent) but the strongest market was the United Kingdom (18.4 per cent). More than half of the single centre inbound tourists (60.5 per cent) travelled by low-cost airlines and 37.1 per cent by other airlines. First-time tourists accounted for 75.8 per cent.

The majority of single centre inbound tourists to Malta region, stayed in collective accommodation (65.2 per cent). Nights spent by inbound tourists to Malta region as a single centre destination went up when compared to 2021, reaching almost 15.3 million nights.

Total expenditure by inbound tourists to Malta as single centre destination surpassed €1.8 billion.

Single centre destination trips: Gozo and Comino region

Inbound tourists who visited Gozo and Comino region as a single centre destination amounted to 64,687, more than double compared 2021. This accounted for 50.1 per cent, of the total inbound tourists to Gozo and Comino region. The majority came from EU Member States (56.0 per cent), even though the United Kingdom was the strongest market (32.4 per cent). Most were aged between 25 and 44 (35.9 per cent). Non-package trips accounted for 87.6 per cent of inbound tourists to Gozo and Comino region. More than half of the single centre inbound tourists to Gozo and Comino region, travelled by low-cost airlines (57.2 per cent).

In contrast to single centre Malta region, the majority of single centre tourists to Gozo and Comino region, 47.0 per cent, stayed in other rented accommodation. Nights spent by inbound tourists to Gozo and Comino region on single centre trips amounted to 642,635 nights. In 2022, the average length of stay of single centre inbound tourists to Gozo and Comino region decreased by 1.9 nights from 11.8 nights to 9.9 nights.

Expenditure by inbound tourists to Gozo and Comino region as single centre destination was estimated at €62.4 million in 2022, an increase compared to previous year.

Twin centre destination trips

In 2022, inbound tourists who visited Malta and Gozo and Comino regions as twin centre destination totalled 64,372. The largest share of twin centre inbound tourists were in the 25-44 age bracket (44.5 per cent). The majority of inbound tourists on twin centre trips were first-time tourists (79.2 per cent) and came from EU Member States (73.8 per cent) with the strongest market being France (19.3 per cent). The United Kingdom was also a strong market (15.3 per cent). More than half of the twin centre inbound tourists travelled by low-cost airlines (51.9 per cent).

A high proportion of twin centre tourists stayed in rented accommodation (89.9 per cent). Total nights spent by twin centre tourists increased, amounting to 675,889 nights. The majority of inbound twin centre tourist nights, 41.1 per cent, were spent in other rented accommodation, followed by 40.6 per cent in collective accommodation. In 2022, the average length of stay of inbound tourists visiting both regions stood at 10.5 nights, a decrease of 0.3 nights compared to 2021.

Total expenditure spent by twin centre tourists was estimated at €67.2 million in 2022. Non-package expenditure by twin centre inbound tourists was almost five times higher, when compared to package expenditure. All expenditure categories registered significant increases over 2021.