MaltaMedia.com

The overall occupancy rate in collective accommodation establishments (net use) went down by 6.4 percentage points in April 2009 over the comparative month in 2008, to stand at 48.0 per cent, new NSO data indicates.

In April 2009 which included Easter week (Easter 2008 in March), the total arrivals in collective accommodation establishments were recorded at 98,498 of which 88,333 or 89.7 per cent were non-resident arrivals.

For the period under review, total nights spent in collective accommodation establishments were recorded at 547,440, a decrease of 9.9 per cent over the corresponding month in 2008, with the largest drops being registered in the 4-star and 3-star hotel categories. In the month under review, the average length of stay stood at 5.6 nights.

Accounting for 95.5 per cent of the national bed-stock, the overall supply of bed-places in Malta stood at 37,063 beds, an increase of 1.2 per cent when compared to April 2008. On an annual basis, the net use of bed-places in Malta went down by 6.7 percentage points to 48.8 per cent.

The average length of stay stood at 5.7 nights. Nights spent by non-residents accounted for 96.5 per cent of total guest-nights in Malta. In Gozo and Comino, the overall supply of bed-places stood at 1,758 beds, an increase of 2.7 per cent over the comparable month a year ago.

The net use of bed-places in April was 31.3 per cent, an increase of 1.8 percentage points over April 2008. The average length of stay stood at 3.2 nights, at the same level as April 2008. Nights spent by non-residents accounted for 73.1 per cent of total guest-nights in Gozo.