Malta’s ELT sector sees mixed results in 2024 as student stays shorten but revenues rise

Malta’s English Language Travel (ELT) sector experienced a year of mixed fortunes in 2024, with student arrivals increasing but the overall duration of stays and profit levels declining, according to the latest annual report issued by the Federation of English Language Teaching Organisations Malta (FELTOM).

FELTOM-affiliated schools reported a total of 52,396 student arrivals last year, representing a 4.8 per cent increase over 2023 figures. However, despite this uptick in arrivals, the number of student weeks – a key performance indicator for the industry – decreased by 8.7 per cent to 132,058.

This decline was largely attributed to a significant drop in the average length of stay, which fell from 20.3 days in 2023 to 17.6 days in 2024. This shift reflects broader changes in travel patterns, with students increasingly opting for shorter stays.

Revenues climb despite shorter stays

Despite fewer student weeks, overall revenues in the ELT sector still grew, as schools adjusted their pricing strategies. Total revenue among FELTOM schools rose by 2.2 per cent compared to the previous year, with higher fees compensating for the drop in volumes.

Tuition revenue per student week increased by 7.8 per cent, while accommodation revenue per student week surged by 13.2 per cent. These gains were partially offset by a sharp 29.9 per cent decline in ancillary revenue from activities and other services.

Rising costs and pressure on profitability

However, increased revenues were not enough to fully offset rising costs. Direct costs rose by 7.7 per cent, with the cost per student week up by a notable 18 per cent. Indirect costs decreased marginally by three per cent, but still registered a 6.3 per cent increase on a per-week basis.

As a result, profits before tax dropped by 4.6 per cent compared to 2023.

One notable trend highlighted in the report is the continued growth of the shoulder season. Between October and December, ELT schools accounted for 19.2 per cent of total student weeks – an increase from 17.4 per cent in the same period the year before.

This indicates the sector’s growing contribution towards reducing seasonality in Malta’s tourism industry, as educational visitors help fill beds outside the traditional peak months.

ELT sector’s wider impact on tourism

Separate statistics published by the National Statistics Office (NSO) show that Malta welcomed a total of 80,946 English language students in 2024, up three per cent from 2023.

However, similar to the FELTOM findings, the NSO also reported a six per cent drop in student weeks and a reduction in average length of stay from 24.3 days to 22.2 days.

The NSO estimated the total expenditure by ELT students at approximately €178 million, highlighting the segment’s importance to the wider tourism economy. The sector accounted for around 7.8 per cent of total tourist guest nights and about 5.4 per cent of total tourism expenditure in 2024.

Notably, the ELT sector is attracting more students from non-traditional markets such as Brazil, Japan, and Colombia. Students from non-EU/EEA countries made up 26 per cent of total arrivals but accounted for a significant 44 per cent of total student weeks, owing to their tendency to enrol in longer-duration programmes.