Tourist arrivals in September increased by 3.2 per cent when compared to the same month last year.

A total 156,526 spent 927,418 nights in guesthouses, hostels and tourist villages, the National Statistics Office said.

All hotel categories recorded increases in total nights spent, with the largest share reported in the four-star category.

The average length of stay in collective accommodation establishments remained at par with last year, at 5.9 nights. The net use of bed-places stood at 75.6 per cent, up by 3.6 percentage points when compared to the corresponding month last year.

Total arrivals and nights spent during the third quarter rose by 6.1 and 3.5 per cent over the corresponding period last year reaching 497,312 and 3.1 million respectively.

Nights spent by non-residents advanced by 3.3 per cent, whereas resident nights went up by 10.2 per cent.

The occupancy rate for the quarter under review was estimated at 82.6 per cent, 3.6 percentage points more than last year.

Total arrivals during the first nine months surpassed 1.2 million, an increase of 7.7 per cent over 2013. Total nights spent went up by 3.5 per cent, almost
seven million.