Inbound tourism to Gozo projected to reach pre-pandemic levels by end of 2024

The number of non-Maltese tourists to Gozo is expected to finally reach levels last seen in 2019, the last pre-pandemic year.

The Gozo Regional Development Authority made the projection in its pre-Budget document, noting that the elevated level of domestic tourism has not yet been matched by inbound tourism.

However, with 2024 expected to be a record-breaking year for Malta’s tourism sector, the number of foreign tourists to Gozo is expected to surge past 2019 figures, when 181,000 tourists spent 1.14 million nights on the island, as per National Statistics Office figures.

Last year already saw a 23 per cent increase over the previous year in inbound tourism, with 2023 seeing 158,378 non-Maltese tourists visit Gozo, leading to a 19.7 per cent increase in bed-nights.

At the same time, domestic tourism surged by 22.5 per cent, reaching historic highs. The sustained performance of domestic tourism bucks the trend observed in many European and global destinations, which largely saw the huge interest in domestic travel during the COVID-19 pandemic subside to pre-pandemic levels once restrictions on international travel were lifted.

Data from the first half of 2024 also shows no signs of a sharp decline in domestic travel, said the GRDA, resulting in domestic tourism levels being significantly higher than previously forecasted.

Domestic and international tourist spend in Gozo is also expected to top €200 million in 2024.