September tourist arrivals down 2.7%
Tourist arrivals in September dropped by 2.7 percent when compared to the same month in 2007 but total nights spent increased by 2.6 percent, the NSO said today.
It said arrivals last month reached 139,794. An increase in Dutch (+53%), Italian (+16%) and German visitors (+8.8%) was not enough to compensate for drops from the UK (-9.8) France (-20.7%) and Spain (-17%).
Total nights spent increased by 2.6 per cent when compared to the same month in 2007. Year on year, total nights spent in private accommodation increased by 37.6 percent, while hotels registered an drop of 10.4 percent.
Tourists in the first nine months of 2008 totalled 1,045,168, an increase of 7.8 percent over the corresponding period a year ago. The growth was attributable to an increase in holiday visits from the German, Italian and Spanish markets. On the other hand decreases were recorded in the British, American and Libyan markets. The British market alone shed 13,762 tourists.
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Bernard Mamo
Oct 31st 2008, 23:55
Isn't there a big sponsorship deal with some england football club? shouldn't that INCREASE tourists from UK? Or is it a big mistake after all?
d.micallef
Oct 31st 2008, 18:08
very intelligent decision to increase the water and electricity tariffs. it will help a great deal to improve our competitiveness.
s grech
Oct 31st 2008, 17:57
The goverment should open more routes to low cost airlines especially from the UK . It's not fair some other EU countries get 15 20 destination and we get a lot less .
Phil Press
Oct 31st 2008, 17:38
@ Kenneth. I am a resident in Malta and can assure you that the € is having an effect' When Malta entred the Eurozone nearly 12 months ago, the exchange rate for the £. was 1.35 what is it now?. For example a small bottle of beer has risen nearly 70% in less than a year. You cannot tell me that this is beneficial for tourist from the U.K have to pay an increase of that amount, plus the increase of flights, to come to Malta or elsewhere in Europe. Albeit 1 week or 2 . How many tourists come on all inclusive and spend nothing, around the local area ?.
Kenneth Bonnici
Oct 31st 2008, 16:27
@ Phil Press
A reduction in the number of tourists and total nights spent is probably inevitable... however we should put more importance to the number of tourist nights then to do the number of visiting tourists....... better 5 tourists spending 2 weeks each in Malta then 10 tourists spending 1 week each in Malta.
The Euro will bring advantages and disadvantages.......... however I am quite sure that the countries who have their own currency at the moment wish that they are part of the Euro block.
No place for more pessimism......
Phil Press
Oct 31st 2008, 15:40
No wonder some of the hotels, need subsidising. Wonder why drop in tourists, nothing to do with the FANTASTIC Euro i bet.