September tourism down 6.8%
The number of tourists visiting Malta in September numbered 130,296, down by 6.8 percent when compared to the corresponding month in 2008.
Tourstat data issued by the National Statistics Office shows that during the same period total nights spent were recorded at 1,138,763.
The majority, or 112,007, of tourists visited Malta for holiday purposes while 10,357 were in Malta for business. A decrease of 10.8 percent was recorded in the number of first-time visitors, while repeat tourists remained comparatively stable when compared to 2008.
Furthermore 89.1 percent of tourists visiting Malta came from EU member states, while air transport remained the most popular means of reaching Malta, with an estimated 99.2 percent.
During the same period, guest nights in collective accommodation recorded a drop of 13.3 percent, while total nights in private accommodation remained practically unchanged.
Overall, the average length of stay was calculated at 8.7 nights, down by 0.2 nights when compared to September last year.
Tourist arrivals since January were estimated at 936,342, a decrease of 10.4 percent over the corresponding period in 2008.
This change is mostly attributable to a decrease in holiday visits, primarily from the British, German and Scandinavian markets.
On the other hand, increases were recorded in the Italian and Libyan markets.
The majority of inbound tourists preferred non-package travel, with the demand for package trips decreasing by 13.5 percent.
The largest proportion of inbound passengers were aged between 25 and 44, followed by those in the 45-64 age bracket.
Together, these two categories make up 72.5 percent of total tourists.
Overall the majority of tourists visiting Malta remain for a period of at least seven nights. Total nights spent during the reference period decreased by 10.3 percent when compared to the corresponding period in 2008.
The average length of stay was calculated at 8.6 nights, at par with 2008. In the period under review, total tourist expenditure was estimated at €744.2 million, a drop of 12.9 percent in comparison with 2008.
Decreases were recorded throughout all expenditure categories.
Survey results indicated that per capita total expenditure wasestimated at €812, down by 2.4 percent when compared to last year.
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Henry Mifsud
Oct 29th 2009, 05:30
Perhaps this is a blessing in disguise. The irony of it all is that whilst on the one hand we keep on talking about Quality vs Quantity, the only benchmark being used is the Number of tourist arrivals! When are we going to learn that the best possible solution for Malta is to improve the Product and do our best to de-marketing from certain Market segments and concentrate on other more sustainable and lucrative niche markets, possibly spread over the whole year rather than concentrated over the high summer season and shoulder months? Wishful thinking? I strongly feel that MTA's strategy and mission on paper are firmly in place but when it comes to execution and implementation, MTA is miles (if not light years) behind. It's role should be as the chief planner and controller not the operator! So for the umpteenth time may I dare to ask Quo Vadis Malta?
Andrew Paris
Oct 28th 2009, 21:43
@ Billie.Grima_Daniels
No offense too you "sunshine" but when you get aliitle older and wiser, travel more, you will see where I am coming from and "shan't" waste your hard earned money on a sub standard holidays. I also have some slang words for kids your age but if I use it, you will get offended in the context of this sentence. (Again no offence)
I love Malta, my family is in Malta, but the economic future of Malta is in trouble and I am just stating my opinion as I see it.
christopher caul
Oct 28th 2009, 21:40
Sharon Gatt, I don"t mind been called an old fogie(fobie) but a paradise???, Perhaps you are too young to remember when Malta was value for money but now it"s deteriorated while costs have escalated so it"s no longer worthwhile to an old fogie
Billie.Grima_Daniels
Oct 28th 2009, 19:53
@Andrew Paris to be honest with you i presume Maltese, i am Englsih or British of Maltese Mother, and this is a normal expression we use back home for the older generation, its in the dictionary Squire,so its not ment to be offensive , but more of a slang word that we nomally use on a daily bases, and its got absolutly nothing to do with whats keeping the tourists away, no sunshine thats not the reason why, but i think you seem to know why you made it clear in your comment,so we shan't adlib, however from my point of view i am only 23 and i love Malta the way it is thankyou, try and find me a country anywhere in this world that is up to your expectation.
Anthony Castillo
Oct 28th 2009, 19:49
Lets be fair and honest. Which country in all the EU that does not had a reduction in the turist sector. The English people completly flat down(BROKE).THE SPANISH PEOPLE WITH OVER 20%in unemployment.The Greeks in the PORTUGES in the same position and all the Eastern countries in the same water so how could we expect that we should be living like its nothing happening in the WORLDS ECONOMY.We have to thank GOD that we hardly felt it at all.
Andrew Paris
Oct 28th 2009, 19:35
@Sharon Gatt
"old fobbies"
It is that kind of attitude that drives tourist away also.
Douglas Bagnall
Oct 28th 2009, 17:44
Tell you what, Sharon Gatt (Student),
Us respectable elderly tourists, used to spend far more money in the five weeks we visited your lovely country in the winter months than the so called English language students that drove us to Cyprus.
D. Bagnall
England
Andrew Paris
Oct 28th 2009, 14:03
I said it before and I will say it again,
Malta does not compare to other vacation spots in the world. Malta is dirty and customer service does not exist. Do not blame the recession, it was just a trigger to opening the eyes of tourists to get there moneys worth. Malta is not that place anymore.
g.c.Forte
Oct 28th 2009, 12:11
Again..... it is not the P.N. government to blame, it is the global ressesion. This government is God send, and do nothing wrong. BUT.......How can we attract tourists to come to Malta when 70% of vehicles on our roads during summer season are constructions of all kind and type,means contructions every where.I think you will be better off spending a holiday in Afganistan or Baghdad ( unless you will not be blown off). but the rest is better. Can somebody tells me, how the north Africa countries like Tunis and Marokk are doing regarding tourism ? I wish to make this point. All over Europe millions( if not billions)goes on holiday every summer, in Malta all we need is far less than a million a YEAR. Can`t we attract that much mr. Minister ?
Sharon Gatt (Student)
Oct 28th 2009, 12:06
Oh Dear Got no moneyeeeeee, we seem to get more old age pensioners then younger people, this country is begening to turn into an old fobbies paradise.