Study finds mainland Malta ‘most overcrowded island’ in Europe 

A study by BookRetreats.com, a global marketplace for wellness getaways, found that mainland Malta is the most overcrowded island in Europe.

The study analysed the latest data from the European Commission, focusing on overnight stays in tourist accommodation per square kilometre as a measure of tourism density. 

While Mallorca welcomed the most tourists out of the European islands, with nearly 14 million last year, mainland Malta came out on top due to its smaller size.

Mainland Malta registered 38,777 overnight stays per km², ahead of the Spanish islands of Lanzarote (21,673), Ibiza and Forrmentera (17,183), Tenerifa (16,873), and Gran Canaria (16,710).

Gozo and Comino came in 14th, with 4,556 overnight stays per km².  

At the bottom of the list was the Norwegian island of Svalbard, with only 2.40 overnight stays per km², followed by Finland’s Aland, Sweden’s Gotland, and Greece’s Chios. 

“Europe’s islands are experiencing tourism on an unprecedented scale,” BookRetreats co-founder Sean Kelly warned. 

“The data highlights just how concentrated the pressure is, with Malta topping the list, cramming over 38,000 overnight stays per km², and three of the five most overloaded islands in the Canaries. These places weren’t built for millions of visitors a year, and the protests we’re seeing across Europe are a clear sign that the way we travel needs to shift.”

This study has received considerable coverage in the international press, including in the New York Post, the Mirror and the Jerusalem Post. 

All three outlets referred to the Government’s official Vision 2050 target to increase tourists arrivals from the 4 million registered last year to 4.5 million by 2035.

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The New York Post also shone a spotlight on the Overtouristedmalta Instagram page, which was set up to highlight the effects of over-tourism.