Total arrivals and nights spent in hotels, apart-hotels, guesthouses and hostels (collective accommodation) in March advanced by 0.6 and 11.9 per cent respectively, when compared to the same month a year ago, the National Statistics Office said.
The NSO said that total guest nights registered in collective accommodation establishments amounted to 539,984, with an average length of stay of 5.4 nights.
Almost all hotel categories recorded increases in total nights spent, particularly 3-star and 4-star hotels, which registered increases of 25.8 and 10.6 per cent respectively.
Around 52 per cent of total nights were spent in 4-star hotels. Total arrivals during March stood at 99,644.
When compared to last year, occupancy levels in 3-star and 5-star hotels increased by 10.4 and 1.5 percentage points, respectively. In contrast, 4-star and 2-star hotels registered drops of 6.2 and 0.3 percentage points, respectively.
On a national level, there were 139 active establishments in March. The number of bedrooms reached 17,049, while bed-places numbered 37,453. On average there were 2.2 beds in each room.
January-March
Total arrivals for the first quarter amounted to 236,083, an increase of 3.8 per cent when compared to the same quarter last year. Non-resident arrivals were on the rise in almost all hotel categories and amounted to 196,645. On the other hand, resident arrivals dropped by 11.1 per cent to stand at 39,438.
Total nights spent between January and March reached over 1.3 million - 7.8 per cent more than last year. Nights spent by non-residents increased by 9.4 per cent, while resident nights dropped by 11.9 per cent, the latter amounting to 81,170.
The occupancy rate for the first quarter was estimated at 41 per cent - 2.6 percentage points higher when compared to last year. The occupancy rate in hotel accommodation stood at 43 per cent, while that recorded in other collective accommodation establishments reached 29.3 per cent.
Regional Figures: January-March
Total arrivals and nights spent in Malta totalled 223,454 and 1,281,875 respectively, while the average length of stay stood at 5.7 nights, an increase of 0.2 of a night when compared to quarter one of 2012.
Increases were recorded in both non-resident arrivals and nights in Malta when compared to last year, which reached 192,692 and 1,217,245, respectively.
On the other hand, drops were registered in resident arrivals and nights spent in Malta.
Resident and non-resident nights spent in Gozo and Comino increased by 4.1 and 17.2 per cent respectively when compared to 2012.
The occupancy rate in Malta went up by 2.6 percentage points, reaching 41.5 per cent. In Gozo and Comino it also increased by 2.6 percentage points to 28.1 per cent.