Tourist arrivals in Malta were up 5.3 per cent in the first half of this year compared to the same period in 2014, according to the latest UNWTO world tourism barometer.
Worldwide tourism grew by four per cent.
Malta also had higher average growth when compared regionally, including to Europe, at 4.9 per cent, and the Southern European and Mediterranean region, at 4.6 per cent.
Malta posted a percentage growth of 8.6 per cent in the first quarter of this year in terms of tourism arrivals.
These figures were translated into six per cent growth in tourist export earnings when compared with same months of 2014, reaching the €625.6 million mark, an increase of 0.5 per cent in expenditure per capita.
Tourism Minister Edward Zammit Lewis said the results proved that the government’s road map for the tourism industry was bearing fruit.
Dr Zammit Lewis said the record-breaking results obtained by the tourism sector month after month were being converted in a higher direct revenue contribution to the Maltese economy and more quality jobs in the sector.