Fewer Maltese travelled abroad in July, compared to the same month last year, official statistics have shown.

The number of Maltese travellers was estimated at 35,313, down 2.4 per cent when compared to July 2008.

The vast majority - 86.7 per cent - travelled to EU destinations, the most popular being Italy and the UK, while 4,702 outbound tourists opted for non-EU destinations.

The 25 to 44 age bracket accounted for the majority of travellers, who also opted for air transport (84.9 per cent).

The number of Maltese travellers also fell marginally between January and July, reaching 163,109, with the most visited countries remaining Italy and the UK.

Until May, the number of Maltese passengers departing by air and sea had been slightly more than in the corresponding period last year, amounting to 102,870, according to the National Statistics Office.

The decline in airport passenger numbers continued in August, Malta's peak month for tourism, albeit at a slower pace. Figures issued by Malta International Airport showed a drop of 3.4 per cent. The average decline in passenger numbers between January and August was 8.8 per cent when compared to the corresponding period last year.

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