Outbound tourism in March surged by 18.4 per cent in March when compared to March last year, possibly as a result to travel connected with the Easter holidays.
Figures issued today by the NSO show that 22,674 went abroad in March, of whom 19,145 went to EU destinations, an increase of 2,473 trips.
The UK and Italy were the most popular outbound destinations. The majority of outbound tourists were males; yet in absolute terms, female tourists recorded a larger increase, the NSO said.
During the first quarter of this year, outbound passengers were estimated at 57,497, up by 9 per cent when compared to the previous year. An estimated 85 per cent of outbound tourists chose to visit EU destinations. The most visited countries were UK and Italy.
The average length of stay was 7.1 nights.
The total expenditure on outbound journeys during the quarter under review was estimated at €56.5 million, equivalent to €983 per person.