Tourism to Malta in October increased by almost 10 per cent over the corresponding month last year, official figures released today show.

Total inbound visitors were estimated at 219,484, an increase of 9.8 per cent when compared to the corresponding month of 2015.

A total of 185,975 inbound tourist trips were carried out for holiday purposes, while a further 16,488 were undertaken for business purposes. Inbound tourists from EU states went up by 10.3 per cent to 183,982 when compared to the corresponding month of 2015.

The majority of inbound tourists were aged between 45 and 64, followed by those within the 25-44 age bracket, according to the National Statistics Office.

Tourism Minister Edward Zammit Lewis said October surpassed the 200,000 arrivals mark for the first time ever.

Malta was registering increases not only in the traditional summer months but also during the so-called shoulder season, he said.

"With planning and the help of stakeholders, we are beating seasonal challenges," Dr Zammit Lewis said in a statement.

Total nights spent went up by 3.9 per cent compared to October 2015. The largest share of guest nights (61.3 per cent) was spent in collective
accommodation establishments.

Total tourist expenditure was estimated at €189.5 million, an increase of 4.1 per cent over the corresponding month of 2015.

Tourism between January and October increased by 8.3 per cent over the same period last year, to reach 1.73 million. Total nights spent by inbound tourists
went up by 4.9 per cent, surpassing 13.3 million nights.

Total tourism expenditure was estimated at €1,544.9 million, 3.3 per cent higher than that recorded for 2015.