48% of Maltese will not go on holiday

Every EU Member State but Malta has a majority population that will enjoy a holiday this year.

The majority of respondents in all but two countries surveyed by Eurobarometer in January planned to go on holiday in 2013. The exceptions are Turkey (44%) and Malta (48%).

On the other hand nine out of ten Norwegian (92%), Austrian (91%), German and Icelandic (90%) respondents planned to take a holiday in 2013.

But while the majority of Maltese vacationers travel to another country, the majority of respondents in 11 countries planned to holiday in their own country. This is particularly the case for Greek (83%), Croatian (78%), Bulgarian (73%) and Spanish respondents (70%). In contrast, domestic holidays were less likely to be planned by respondents in Luxembourg (1%), Malta (12%) and Belgium (15%).

The UK was the most cited holiday destination for Maltese (25%), followed by Italy (24%), Spain (10%), France (8%) and Germany (4%).

One-fifth of Maltese respondents (compared to 13% of EU citizens) said that they will not go on holiday because of the economic crisis. 33% of Maltese (compared to 41% of other EU citizens) said that the economic crisis has not changed their holiday plans.

The Maltese were among the most likely to have taken an all-inclusive holiday in 2012. Respondents in Belgium were the most likely to (43%), followed by those in Latvia (39%), Luxembourg and Malta (both 35%).

Malta is the only country where culture was the most mentioned reason for a holiday in 2012 (27%). In contrast, 9% of Bulgarians, 10% of Romanians and 11% of Cypriot respondents said culture was the main reason for their holiday.

Respondents living in Malta are most likely to say that cultural and historical attractions would make them return to the same place for another holiday (42%).

Respondents in Luxembourg and Slovenia are the most likely to say their main reason for taking a holiday in 2012 was for sun or the beach, and this is also a popular reason for at least half of Portuguese (56%) and Greek (50%) respondents. In fact, in 20 countries (including Luxembourg and Slovenia) this was the most mentioned reason for a holiday in 2012. On the other hand, respondents in Malta (11%), Latvia (15%) and Iceland (17%) were the least likely to mention this as the main reason for their holiday in 2012.

It seems the Maltese feel the least bothered to leave home for the sun...