Expenditure on the wages of workers in the tourism sector was this year 0.5 per cent less than it was in 2008, Gavin Gulia, the Labour Party's spokesman for tourism said.

Dr Gulia said that obtaining a record number of arrivals and bed nights was not enough for the sector. What was of utmost importance was the income and profits generated.

He said that although in 2011 profits in the sector increased by six per cent on 2008, inflation in the same period had risen by 7.1 per cent.

Wages and profits in the first nine months of this year increase by slightly more than 15 per cent over the first nine months of 2004 when inflation had risen by 18 per cent.

And while in 2004 €24 out of every €100 spent by tourists went to the workers, this amount had gone down to around €20 this year.

Then, entrepreneurs had made a profit of just over €10. This was now €8.60.