Maltese travelling more

The Maltese travelled more in October, with estimates implying an increase of 21.7 per cent over the same month last year, the National Statistics Office said.

The NSO said that Maltese residents departing by air and sea in October were estimated at 21,090. Of these, 17,711 travelled to EU destinations, the most popular being Italy and the UK. 3,379 travelled to non-EU destinations. The majority, or 92.5 per cent of total travellers, travelled by air. The largest proportion of outbound tourists fall in the 25-44 age bracket.

Maltese passengers departing by air and sea between January and October were are estimated at 250,361, an increase of 6.6 per cent over the corresponding period last year, the NSO said.

It said that 85.6 per cent travelled to EU destinations with the most visited countries being Italy and the UK. For the cumulative period, male outbound passengers exceeded female ones, the former accounting for 57.5 per cent of the total.

The largest proportion of outbound passengers - 45.4 per cent - comprised passengers aged between 25 and 44, followed by those in the 45 to 64 age bracket who accounted for 37.6 per cent of total Maltese travellers.