Tourism down 9.3% in October
Tourism dropped by 9.3 percent last month compared to the same month last year, the NSO said this morning.
The NSO said that according to the ongoing frontier survey, 125,878 tourists came to Malta by air, reflecting a drop of 9.3 percent when compared to October 2007.
Results showed that 84.2 percent of inbound tourists in October came to Malta on holiday, while 8.7 percent visited for business purposes.
Total nights spent in Malta decreased by 12.3 percent when compared to the same month last year. Year on year, total nights spent in private accommodation decreased by 18.4 percent, and the collective accommodation category registered a drop of 9.7 percent.
The average length of stay was calculated at 8.3 nights, down by 0.3 nights when compared to October 2007.
The NSO said that inbound tourists for the first 10 months were estimated at 1,172,109, an increase of 5.6 percent over the corresponding period a year ago. The growth was mostly attributable to an increase in holiday visits, mainly from the Spanish, Italian and German markets. Decreases were recorded in the American, British and Libyan markets.
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Douglas Bagnall
Nov 27th 2008, 22:33
This drop does not surprise me and many of my friends who are now going to other countries, that are now falling over themselves to give us what we want in the present economic climate. We may be old but many of us have the means to pay for a descent service that you used to offer.
No longer are we prepared to put up with noisy, drunk ,so called students running wild in your hotels and the revolting manners of some of your so called bus drivers.
O/K, we have a lot to answer for in our country but that is why we used to like coming to your country.
We will certainly be thinking twice before seeing you in the future after many happy years spent with you in the past.
Doug
England
Petter Todd
Nov 27th 2008, 15:26
What Liam Kelly but more importantly clean up the shore front and ocean, ever walked along the waterfront from the Gillieru heading towards Bugibba in summer? the amount of rubbish in the water is an embarrassment, I have never once seen anyone cleaning it. The same when swimming just past the harbour there, sometimes you need to wade past the slick of rubbish, really off putting for a tourist who finds themself surrounded by rubbish, you think they will come back?
Tourist mostly come to this country for the sun and swimming, maybe instead of just ticketing people parked wrong the inspectors can go after litterers. Not sure how to deal with the boaties throwing rubbish into the sea, but something has to be done.
Cliff Theuma
Nov 27th 2008, 13:55
I wonder how In-Nazzjon and NET TV reported this piece of news. Probably "Tourism in October increased by 10% over October 1998. Huge progress these past 10 years". Wouldn't be surprised at all.
Liam Kelly
Nov 27th 2008, 12:40
Its a shame we were busy patting ourselves on the back during the good times and throwing money away to Portsmouth FC and Sheffield United FC as opposed to using the tourist income to improve tourism infrastructure, clean up our streets as well as regulate bus and taxi drivers; then perhaps tourists would have been less hasty to cancel their trips to Malta.
henry galea
Nov 27th 2008, 12:11
So now it's not morocco, and Tunisa who are taking our jobs, other countries are taking our tourists. You all counted the chicks before they were born. Lets not cry over spilt milk, other countries have similar problems, just give time. I ask the MTA not to over invest in advertising when tourists are finding difficulties. The money saved now can be reinvested in coming months. Also what's use hotels keeping the full complement, hoping that the next day the hotel will be fully booked. The wages are the major drain, I do not wish to be one employee to loose the job, but note that a good harvest cannot happen every year.