Total outbound tourist trips by people in Malta between January and September 2021 numbered 179,847, an increase of 7.4 per cent compared to 2020, according to figures released by the National Statistics Office (NSO).
2021 was the year of the COVID vaccine, which saw several countries around the world lifting travel bans, to the relief of the beleaguered travel and aviation industry. Indeed, as the world slowly opened up, some residents of Malta rekindled their appetite for travel.
In the third quarter of 2020, a total of 61,936 outbound tourist trips were undertaken for holiday purposes, followed by 41,986 trips for visiting friends and relatives.
In addition, Total nights spent by outbound tourists went up by 53 per cent, reaching nearly 1.9 million nights. In addition, the total estimated outlay by outbound tourists stood at €151.2 million, 29.7 per cent higher than that recorded for the same period in 2020.
As for total spend, outbound tourists spent €98.5 million between July and September, equivalent to an average of €807 per person.
During the quarter in question, most outbound tourists were aged between 25 and 44 years (50.1 per cent), followed by those within the 45-64 age bracket (26.6 per cent).
The average length of stay of total outbound tourists stood at 8.6 nights.
Italy remained the most popular destination, with a share of 41.9 per cent of total tourist trips.
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