Success in the tourism sector reaches all strata of society and has always been an important factor in Malta’s sustained economic growth. Reviewing the recently published official results for 2016 gives us not just good cheer for what was achieved but also fills us with hope for the coming year and beyond.
Tourism has gone from strength to strength, and 2016 was the seventh consecutive year delivering overall increases and propelling our country to become a sought-after destination all year round. It was another year of records.
Inbound tourism increased by 10 per cent, totalling almost two million. This is even more impressive in light of the increases accumulated over the previous years and coming on top of the five per cent increase in 2015.
Besides this, a further 620,000 cruise passengers visited Malta, an increase of more than four per cent compared to 2015.
The increases are not just in the numbers who came to the islands. Expenditure has also grown, with tourism now contributing over €1.7 billion to the local economy. Direct expenditure on accommodation has increased by 17 per cent, while the expenditure on other aspects including food and drink, local transport, shopping and entertainment has grown by eight per cent.
For the first time ever, the magic figure of 15 million bed nights has almost been reached.
We are slowly transforming Malta as a destination truly sought after by all ages and in every season
But glittering numbers alone are not enough. What matters most is that we are slowly transforming Malta as a destination truly sought after by all ages and in every season.
Significantly, there are a number of important changes in Malta’s tourism profile. This gives us even more confidence in the future of tourism in Malta and Gozo, ensuring that it remains a major, if not the major, contributor to the country’s economic strength.
Analysing the demographics of who came to Malta in 2016 gives us even more positive insights: the biggest growth registered in tourist arrivals is in the 25-to-44-year-old age bracket, which is up by 15 per cent over 2015. And to prove this statistic is not a fluke, the second-highest growth is in the under-24-year-olds, with an increase of more than 11 per cent.
The islands’ growing appeal to a younger tourist is part of the change the Maltese tourism industry as a whole is undergoing. Furthermore, this change is not taking place to the exclusion of other age brackets, which also continue to grow. An interesting statistic here is the fact that women are finding Malta appealing and numbers are increasing, hence the share ratio increase from 48 to 49 per cent.
Malta’s visitor profile is evolving and this is excellent news. It is news that all at MTA, together with all other stakeholders, have been consistently planning and striving for.
The strongest volume growth in absolute numbers originated from the UK and Italy, while the best percentage gains in the established markets were registered from the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, France and again Italy.
The nationality spread is most interesting because arrivals from countries which the National Statistics Office groups collectively as “other” have grown by over 21 per cent. These include countries such as Poland, with an increase of over 50 per cent, Greece, with an increase of over 100 per cent, and Hungary and the Czech Republic – markets which have benefited from strong increases in airline connectivity and additional marketing efforts over the past year.
Tourism, however, is not just about marketing for arrivals but also about product and human resource development.
In this regard, the MTA is actively involved in various areas, including better beach management and improved facilities, safeguarding heritage and scenic spots, guaranteeing service quality in hospitality and gastro-nomy, promoting events, ensuring that more activities are organised throughout the year, especially in winter, and promoting Gozo as a unique destination on its own merits.
The figures in review are excellent from all angles, impressively better than the growth which Europe and the Mediterranean as a region experienced in 2016. The MTA and Malta in general could easily rest and be satisfied with the results to date and simply consolidate numbers. But we have been looking not just at consolidation, but at sustainable increases and at better overall results.
This is the direction we intend to take in 2017 and beyond. As we reach and surpass the target of two million visitors next year, MTA’s role will be to continue working closely with all stakeholders who have contributed to the success we have achieved so far.
Our objective will be strengthening the solid foundations on which Malta’s tourism industry now operates. In line with government policy, MTA will continue to strive for improved product and service offerings, while focusing our efforts towards those periods of the year which present the best potential for further growth.
With the whole team at MTA, whom I would like to sincerely thank for all their efforts throughout the years, but in particular through 2016, together with all stakeholders involved, we can make 2017 another year of success for tourism and for our islands.
Paul Bugeja is CEO of the Malta Tourism Authority.