Inbound tourists skyrocket in first four months, expenditure per capita drops

The number of inbound tourists during the first four months of 2026 skyrocketed by 16.4 per cent when compared to the same period in 2025, data issued by the National Statistics Office shows.

Between January and April this year, 1,215,966 tourists visited Malta, spending a total of 6.6 million nights. But the average length of stay dropped from 5.7 nights in the first four months of last year, to 5.4 nights in the first four months of this year.

Of the total number of tourists, 272,775 were repeat tourists.

But the increase in visitor numbers was not matched by an increase in expenditure per capita. While total tourist expenditure was estimated at €919.7 million during January – April of this year, 14.3 per cent higher than that recorded for the same period in 2025, total expenditure per capita decreased to €756 from €770.

The number of people who travelled to Malta for business and professional reasons increased from 49,233 to 64,814.

The number of tourists visiting Gozo and Comino, including both same-day and overnight visitors, rose, totalling 577,358, or 47.5 per cent of total tourists. This was 50,000 more visitors than the same four months in 2025.