Total arrivals in accommodation up by 11.3% in January 2014

A report from the NSO shows a significant increase in collective accommodation in January of this year over the same month last year.

An increase of 11.3% was recorded in the total arrivals at accommodation establishments during January 2014. A slight decrease of 1% was recorded in total nights spent.

Total arrivals in collective accommodation establishments during the month under review numbered 67,153, while total nights spent amounted to 368,961.

Almost all establishments recorded increases in total nights spent, while the largest share of guest nights was reported in 4-star hotels, accounting for 170,838 nights, or 46.3% of the total. Three 4-star hotels were not operating this year.

The average length of stay in collective accommodation establishments went down from 6.2 nights in January 2013, to 5.5 nights during the month under review. The net use of bed-places stood at 34.2 per cent, at par with last year.

Furthermore, almost all collective accommodation categories registered increases in occupancy levels.

Total arrivals in Malta numbered 64,062, up by 10.4% over January 2013. Additionally, a decline of 1.7% was recorded in the number of nights spent. Meanwhile, the average length of stay edged down by 0.7 to 5.6 nights, when compared to last year. The net occupancy rate declined from 34.9% to 34.6%.

Total arrivals and nights spent in Gozo and Comino increased by 34.6 and 41.6 when compared to the comparative month last year, to 3,091 and 9,134 respectively.

On a national level, there were 137 active collective accommodation establishments during January, with a net capacity of 16,004 bedrooms and 34,873 bed-places. On average each establishment had 2.2 beds per room