Increase in tourists arrivals, nights spent during December

Total arrivals in collective accommodation establishments during the month under review numbered 84,089, while total nights spent amounted to 397,727.

According to the National Statistics Office (NSO), almost all establishments recorded increases in total nights spent, with the exception of an 8.3 per cent decline in 4-star hotels.

Despite this, the largest share of guest nights remained in 4-star hotels, accounting for 164,108 nights, or 41.3 per cent of the total.

The average length of stay in collective accommodation establishments stood at 4.7 nights practically unchanged when compared to December 2012.

The net use of bed-places amounted to 36.5 per cent, up by 2.8 percentage points when compared to the corresponding month of the previous year. Moreover, all collective accommodation establishments reported a rise in occupancy levels.

On a national level, there were 137 active collective accommodation establishments during December, with a net capacity of 16,223 bedrooms and 35,302 bed-places. On average each establishment had 2.2 beds per room.

Total arrivals and nights spent during the fourth quarter of 2013 rose by 12.1 and 8.7 per cent respectively over the corresponding quarter of the previous year. Total arrivals numbered 333,081, while the total number of registered nights stood at 1.8 million.

On the other hand, resident arrivals declined by 0.5 per cent to 44,271. Nights spent by non-residents went up by 9.2 per cent, whereas resident nights remained at par with 2012 levels.

The occupancy rate for the quarter under review was estimated at 50.7 per cent, 3.7 percentage points more than in 2012. The occupancy rate in hotel accommodation stood at 52.5 per cent, while that recorded in other collective establishments reached 41.6 per cent.

Total arrivals and nights spent in collective accommodation establishments in Malta between October and December totalled 315,331 and 1.7 million respectively. The average length of stay amounted to 5.4 nights, down by 0.1 of a night when compared to the fourth quarter of the previous year. Increases were reported in both non-resident arrivals and nights in Malta.

On the other hand, non-resident nights in Gozo and Comino advanced by 22.5 per cent, whereas resident nights went up by 20.1 per cent, when compared to 2012.

The occupancy rate in Malta increased by 3.6 percentage points, reaching 51.1 per cent, and that in Gozo and Comino rose by 6.4 percentage points to 42.1 per cent.