MaltaMedia.com

Tourstat survey data indicate that inbound tourists to Malta in August 2009 were estimated at 172,395, a drop of 3.5 per cent when compared to the corresponding month in 2008. During the same period total nights spent decreased by 5.5 per cent.

Results published on Tuesday by the NSO show that the majority, or 97.3 per cent of tourists, came to Malta by air. Furthermore an estimated 148,674 tourists came to Malta on holiday, the majority from EU Member States, while an additional 7,198 visited the island for business purposes.

Meanwhile, total nights spent in private accommodation increased by 4.4 per cent, while guest nights in collective accommodation registered a drop of 11.1 per cent. Overall, the average length of stay is calculated at 10.4 nights, down by 0.2 nights when compared to 2008 levels.

Inbound tourists for the first eight months of 2009 are estimated at 806,046, a decrease of 11.0 per cent over the corresponding period in 2008. In absolute terms, the change is mostly attributable to a decrease in holiday visits, mainly from the British, German and Scandinavian markets. On the other hand increases were recorded in the Italian and Libyan markets.

89 per cent of all inbound visits comprised tourists coming from EU Member States. During the first eight months, the majority of inbound tourists chose non-package travel, while the demand for package trips decreased by 13.6 per cent.

The largest proportion of inbound passengers were between 25 and 44 followed by those in the 45-64 age bracket. Together, these two categories make up 72.2 per cent of total tourists. Total nights during the reference period decreased by 10.6 per cent when compared to 2008 levels.

Nights spent in private accommodation decreased by 2.0 per cent, while guest nights in collective accommodation decreased by 14.0 per cent. The average length of stay is calculated at 8.6 nights, at par with 2008 estimate.

In the same period, total tourist expenditure is estimated at €639.3 million, resulting in a decline of 12.7 per cent when compared to 2008. Decreases were recorded throughout all expenditure categories.

The survey results indicate that per capita total expenditure is estimated at €811, down by 1.1 per cent in comparison with 2008.