Total cruise passenger traffic in the first quarter of 2019 amounted to
78,051, an increase of 11.9% over the same period in 2018.

The National Statistics Office said there were 21 cruise liner calls during the first quarter, four more than in the previous year. At 99.7%, transit passengers accounted for the absolute majority of total traffic, reaching 77,853.

On average, every vessel that berthed in Malta carried 3,717 passengers, 385 less than in the previous year.

Passengers from EU states comprised 65.9% of the total traffic, the major markets being Italy, France and Germany. The total number of passengers from non-EU countries stood at 26,632, of whom 19% came from the United States.

On a gender basis, female passengers made up 53.3% of the total. The largest share of passengers fell within the 60-79 age bracket and were followed by those aged between 40 and 59.