93.1% of nights spent in Malta’s accommodations attributed to international visitors

In 2023, Malta emerged as a prominent destination in the European tourism landscape, with 93.1 per cent of the nights spent in tourist accommodations attributed to foreign visitors.

This underscores the island’s appeal as a popular holiday destination, where international tourists significantly outnumber domestic travellers. Such figures highlight Malta’s reliance on foreign tourism, positioning it alongside some of the most sought-after regions in Europe.

In a broader context, 58 regions out of 231 monitored recorded higher numbers of nights spent by foreign tourists compared to domestic tourists.

Among these, Malta’s percentage places it among the elite group of popular holiday destinations, alongside renowned areas such as the Greek islands of Kriti (94.6 per cent), Ionia Nisia (93.6 per cent), and Notio Aigaio (92.0 per cent).

The statistics for 2023 reveal that three EU regions with the highest number of nights spent by foreign tourists were the Spanish island regions of Canarias (83.2 million), Illes Balears (61.7 million), and the Croatian coastal region of Jadranska Hrvatska (80.8 million). Together, these regions accounted for 16.4 per cent of the total nights spent by foreigners in the EU, while the top ten destinations represented over one-third (37.6 per cent) of the foreign nights spent across the EU.

As the tourism sector continues to rebound, Malta’s position as a leading destination for foreign tourists solidifies, making it a key player in the European travel industry.