The number of cruise passengers increased by 44 per cent in August to 99,000 when compared to the same period last year.

Even the January to August comparison was favourable, with an increase of 13 per compared to 2011, according to the latest official statistics.

During August, cruise liners called 43 times with an average of 2,300 passengers per vessel.

European passengers, as usual, made up the bulk of those who sailed into the Grand Harbour. The German market remained the strongest, with about 30,000 passengers, while the Italians followed with about 18,700 passengers.

All major European markets saw increases, with the French, the UK and the German posting the highest rises.

The number of cruise passengers from non-EU countries more than doubled when compared to August 2011, amounting to more than 13,800.

Cruise passengers from the EU numbered 325,470, or 82.7 per cent of the total. Most passengers came from Germany and Italy. Visitors from non-EU countries added up to about 68,130, a drop of about 5,500 when compared to last year.

In the first eight months of this year, the number of male passengers amounted to 190,900 while female passengers made up about 51.5 per cent of the total.

About 2,556 cruise passengers visited Gozo, an increase of 2,230 compared to the same period last year. In all, there were 193 cruise liner calls, each with an average of 2,039 passengers.