Tourist arrivals up by 7.3% in June

Total arrivals and nights spent in collective accommodation during June advanced by 7.3% and 9.1% respectively, when compared to the corresponding month last year.

The National Statistics Office said that total guest nights registered in collective accommodation establishments in June amounted to 871,871, with an average length of stay of 5.9 nights.

Almost all hotel categories recorded increases in total nights spent, particularly 3-star hotels, which registered a growth of 30.4%.  Around 45% of total nights were spent in 4-star hotels.

The net use of bed-places in collective accommodation establishments during the reference month stood at 71.9%, up by 3.1 percentage points when compared to the corresponding month in 2012.

When compared to last year, occupancy levels in 3-star, 2-star and 4-star hotels increased by 10.1, 4.5 and 3.4 percentage points respectively. Occupancy levels in 5-star hotels and other collective accommodation declined marginally by 0.1 and 1.2 percentage points respectively.

On a national level, there were 155 active establishments during June. Bedrooms amounted to 18,310, while bed-places numbered 40,592. On average there were 2.2 beds in each room.

Total arrivals for the second quarter amounted to 416,594, an increase of 7.5% when compared to the corresponding quarter last year. Non-resident arrivals were on the rise in almost all hotel categories and amounted to 386,307. On the other hand, resident arrivals declined by 3.3% to 30,287.

Total nights spent between April and June surpassed 2.3 million - 10.7% higher than last year. Nights spent by non-residents advanced by 11.1%, while resident nights went down by 0.3% to 65,420.

The occupancy rate for the second quarter was estimated at 64.8% - 3.5 percentage points higher than last year. The occupancy rate in hotel accommodation stood at 68.3%, while that recorded in 'other collective accommodation' establishments reached 46.4%.

Total arrivals and nights spent in Malta totalled 395,183 and 2,267,191 respectively, while the average length of stay stood at 5.7 nights, up by 0.1 of a night when compared to the second quarter in 2012. Increases were recorded in both non-resident arrivals and nights in Malta when compared to last year, which reached 373,893 and 2,218,447 respectively.

Non-resident nights spent in Gozo and Comino increased by 8.0%, while resident nights decreased by 9.6%, when compared to 2012.

The occupancy rate in Malta went up by 3.4 percentage points, reaching 65.3% and that in Gozo and Comino also increased by 3.7 percentage points to 52.9%.