Last year was very bad for tourism but positive signs started to emerge in the later months, according to the BOV/MHRA hotel survey for the fourth quarter of 2009.

The decline in tourist arrivals started in the second half of 2008 and persisted throughout 2009, Raphael Aloisio, partner in Deloitte, which conducted the survey, said.

There was a drop in the decline towards the middle of last year and some positive signs could be seen in some of the markets towards the last quarter.

Collectively, hotels last year experienced a drop of €54 million in income and a decline in profits of €29 million. They also spent less on wages as they employed less people.

MHRA president George Micallef said there were signs that the recovery had begun but cautioned that the situation would not be easy. He refrained from making any predictions for this year since the sector was still very fragile.

The speakers insisted there were no quick fixes and that a lot of hard work had to be done by all concerned to see the industry through the next two years.

Mr Micallef praised the government and the MTA for issuing a number of assistance schemes but said the cost of higher water and electricity would continue to drag the industry down.

A crucial aspect was that room rates were still very low with those for five-star hotels being only marginally higher than 2006 levels.

He said that to witness an increase in room rates, more tourists had to come and, more significantly, spend more nights in Malta.