Such was the surge of holidaymakers to Gozo for the Santa Marija holiday that hotels and farmhouses were forced to turn some of them away.
About 115,000 passengers boarded the ferries to and from Gozo last week, according to preliminary figures from Gozo Channel, with the busiest days being August 14 and 15. Last year the figure was 90,000. The ferries made about 400 trips a day.
“We had reports of accommodation having to refuse any more bookings,” a spokesman for the Gozo Tourism Authority said.
But this year the people appeared to have spread out all over the island, he added. In previous years, those on holiday tended to cram into one or two popular locations, often leading to large crowds gathering in small areas.
“This year, we noted a change in the way the crowds dispersed. The usual spots, such as Marsalforn, were very busy, with restaurants being full at all times. But it was also exciting to see other areas and villages doing just as well. The less popular places, I believe, did just as well this year.”
The spokesman said that, because of this, the only traffic problem reported was lack of parking availability.
The less popular places, I believe, did just as well this year
“We had no reports of choc-a-block situations and traffic even ran smoothly throughout the busiest times.
“Parking is, unfortunately, still a problem, especially in situations where you have thousands heading to the same areas. In Marsalforn, there are about 40 restaurants and the parking in the area is not adequate for so many people,” he said.
The spokesman also said it was not only the hotels and restaurants that reported positive results over the weekend but also shopping centres and smaller shops including souvenir stores.
“There were an additional 1,000 visitors because of a cruise ship that docked close to Mġarr. While these may not have stayed in the hotels or ate in the restaurants, they impact other areas of the economy.
“Souvenir shops and public transport, for instance, benefitted greatly from these tourists.”
The Gozo Business Chamber also reported positive outcomes from the increase of visitors and said several of its members were pleased with the volume of business last week.
“We are still waiting for the official figures from the three main shopping centres – Arkadia, The Duke and Tiġrija Palazz – but the initial reports are very positive.
“This week is very important for Gozo and its business owners,” a spokesman for the chamber said.
He explained that data on sales is gathered from the three main shopping centres before any final figures can be issued.