More than 50 per cent of Maltese travel at least once a year
More than 50 per cent of the Maltese population travel for their holidays at least once a year, according to a new Eurobarometer survey published in Brussels yesterday. The study on the trends of the tourism industry in Europe, conducted in Malta by...
More than 50 per cent of the Maltese population travel for their holidays at least once a year, according to a new Eurobarometer survey published in Brussels yesterday.
The study on the trends of the tourism industry in Europe, conducted in Malta by Misco on a scientific sample of 500 interviews last February, shows that despite the current recession, many are still planning to spend some time abroad even this year.
According to the survey's results, only 40.1 per cent of Maltese respondents said that they are not planning to go on holiday in 2009, while another 21.6 per cent said that they haven't decided yet. On the other hand eight per cent said that they were planning a holiday of more than 13 nights while another 21 per cent said that they would definitely spend more than four nights abroad. Asked to state the reason for not travelling in 2009, 14.8 per cent of those who answered that they would stay at home said that they couldn't afford a holiday overseas.
The survey clearly shows that the majority of Maltese travellers prefer to go to other European destinations, with London being the main attraction. In fact, more than 70 per cent of those who travelled last year visited another member state of the EU, while 16 per cent preferred to limit their holiday to the island's confines, most probably to Gozo.
With no possibility of going abroad directly by car, 70 per cent of Maltese travellers last year said that they flew to their holiday destinations while 26.1 per cent travelled by sea. Only 2.7 per cent said that they travelled by car.
This is different to what normally happens on the continent, where according to the survey the majority of Europeans (46.7 per cent) travelled for their holidays by car in 2008.
Asked how many times they had travelled in 2008, the majority of Maltese respondents, 46.6 per cent, said that they only took one holiday.
Other respondents said that they were travelling quite often. 10.4 per cent said that they had travelled three times in 2008 while 3.2 per cent said that last year they went abroad between four and five times.
Sun and beach were obviously not the main attraction for the Maltese to go abroad. Instead, for 22 per cent of respondents the main reason for going abroad was to rest, while another 12.6 per cent gave cultural and religious interests.
On a general level the EU survey showed that at least 50 per cent of EU citizens travel each year (in the majority of the EU countries this percentage is even higher) and nearly three-quarters of citizens take at least one trip per annum.
The most important findings in the EU show that discovering the home country is the trend, so much so that in 2009, 48 per cent of Europeans intend to spend their holidays in their own country, while in 2008 only 43 per cent did so. This may also indirectly show that less people will be travelling to countries depending on tourism, such as Malta.
In the EU 27, only 19 per cent were almost certain that they will not travel in 2009, which is significantly below the proportion of non-travellers in 2008 (32 per cent). However, 28 per cent of EU citizens are still undecided about their type of vacation in both duration and destination.
Europeans prefer to spend their holidays in traditional tourist destinations (54 per cent), while 28 per cent would rather go "off the beaten track" to emerging destinations.
Spain, Italy, France and Greece are by far the preferred holiday destinations of European travellers. This year 14 per cent have already chosen Spain, followed by Italy (11.9 per cent) and France (11.1 per cent).
The study on the trends of the tourism industry in Europe, conducted in Malta by Misco on a scientific sample of 500 interviews last February, shows that despite the current recession, many are still planning to spend some time abroad even this year.
According to the survey's results, only 40.1 per cent of Maltese respondents said that they are not planning to go on holiday in 2009, while another 21.6 per cent said that they haven't decided yet. On the other hand eight per cent said that they were planning a holiday of more than 13 nights while another 21 per cent said that they would definitely spend more than four nights abroad. Asked to state the reason for not travelling in 2009, 14.8 per cent of those who answered that they would stay at home said that they couldn't afford a holiday overseas.
The survey clearly shows that the majority of Maltese travellers prefer to go to other European destinations, with London being the main attraction. In fact, more than 70 per cent of those who travelled last year visited another member state of the EU, while 16 per cent preferred to limit their holiday to the island's confines, most probably to Gozo.
With no possibility of going abroad directly by car, 70 per cent of Maltese travellers last year said that they flew to their holiday destinations while 26.1 per cent travelled by sea. Only 2.7 per cent said that they travelled by car.
This is different to what normally happens on the continent, where according to the survey the majority of Europeans (46.7 per cent) travelled for their holidays by car in 2008.
Asked how many times they had travelled in 2008, the majority of Maltese respondents, 46.6 per cent, said that they only took one holiday.
Other respondents said that they were travelling quite often. 10.4 per cent said that they had travelled three times in 2008 while 3.2 per cent said that last year they went abroad between four and five times.
Sun and beach were obviously not the main attraction for the Maltese to go abroad. Instead, for 22 per cent of respondents the main reason for going abroad was to rest, while another 12.6 per cent gave cultural and religious interests.
On a general level the EU survey showed that at least 50 per cent of EU citizens travel each year (in the majority of the EU countries this percentage is even higher) and nearly three-quarters of citizens take at least one trip per annum.
The most important findings in the EU show that discovering the home country is the trend, so much so that in 2009, 48 per cent of Europeans intend to spend their holidays in their own country, while in 2008 only 43 per cent did so. This may also indirectly show that less people will be travelling to countries depending on tourism, such as Malta.
In the EU 27, only 19 per cent were almost certain that they will not travel in 2009, which is significantly below the proportion of non-travellers in 2008 (32 per cent). However, 28 per cent of EU citizens are still undecided about their type of vacation in both duration and destination.
Europeans prefer to spend their holidays in traditional tourist destinations (54 per cent), while 28 per cent would rather go "off the beaten track" to emerging destinations.
Spain, Italy, France and Greece are by far the preferred holiday destinations of European travellers. This year 14 per cent have already chosen Spain, followed by Italy (11.9 per cent) and France (11.1 per cent).