A total of 91,172 tourists came to Malta in March, 13 per cent more than in the same month last year. Total expenditure increased by 15 per cent to €67.5 million.

The National Statistics Office said that excluding the 1,886 passengers who stayed overnight on board a berthed cruise vessel, 89,286 were departing tourists, an increase of 11.4 per cent.

This increase was in part attributable to just under 5,000 people residing abroad, primarily Maltese nationals, who visited the islands to vote in the March election.

First time visitors rose by six per cent over 2012. Inbound tourists from EU states advanced by 11 per cent, comprising 85 per cent of departing tourists. Non-EU tourists increased by 16 per cent to 13,147.

The UK remained Malta’s main tourism market, with a share of 33 per cent of total inbound trips, followed by Italy at 14 per cent. Significant upward shifts of 35 and 14 per cent were noted in the German and Italian markets respectively.

A total of 217,501 tourists came between January and March, seven per cent more than last year.