Tourism increased by 10 per cent last year, double the EU average of five per cent, Tourism Minister Karmenu Vella said.

Addressing a news conference at Hagar Qim to round up the first year of Labour’s administration, Mr Vella said 1.6 million visitors spent some 13 million bed nights in Malta.

The government, he said, had started to take action to combat the seasonality of the island’s tourism product and all winter months saw record growth, especially November, which increased by 14.5 per cent increase compared to the same month last year.

The minister said 83 airlines operated to Malta with a number starting operations or increasing routes.

Seat allocation increased by 10.2 per cent and the government aimed for an all year profitable growth. This, the minister said, would result in an increase in full time employment within the industry, which made up 25 per cent of the island’s GDP.

Some 20,000 people were directly employed in the tourism industry, he said, half of them on a part time basis.

Mr Vella said that a total of 4,820 jobs were lost in the sector between 2008 and 2012. This trend had now been reversed so much so that the January to September period had a 127 per cent increase in jobs, when compared to the same period last year.

The minister also said that the island had been given several tourism awards including as a diving and resort destination and for tourism in general. Gozo was also an award favourite.

Replying to questions, he acknowledged that island’s cultural attractions were not being utilised to the max and said this was a sector that needed to be improved.