Inbound sea tourism dips by 2.3% in early 2025

Inbound tourists travelling by sea between Malta and Sicily dropped by 2.3 per cent to 18,641 between January and April 2025, down from 19,093 during the corresponding period in 2024, according to the latest Financial Analysis Summary (FAS) issued by Virtu Finance plc.

This comes on the back of a record-breaking year in 2024, when total inbound tourism exceeded 3.5 million visitors, and sea arrivals reached an all-time high of 68,594 passengers – marking a 3.3 per cent increase over the revised 2023 figure of 66,423.

Although early 2025 shows a slight contraction in sea arrivals, the overall outlook for Malta’s tourism sector remains optimistic, as the consistent increase in visitor numbers over the past few years has reinforced the industry’s role as a key pillar of economic growth.

Beyond tourism, the Malta-Sicily ferry route continues to serve an important role in the transport of goods. The route is designated as a critical service and is frequently used by light and heavy commercial vehicles carrying perishable goods, such as fresh produce and fish. In this context, the Port of Valletta maintains strategic importance in ensuring the efficient importation of essential goods into Malta.