Whatsapp

Outbound tourism from Malta continued to grow in the first quarter of 2026, with 205,817 outbound tourist trips recorded between January and March. This represents an increase of 13.5% when compared with the same quarter of 2025. Total nights spent abroad also rose significantly, reaching 1,627,751 nights, up by 23.2% year-on-year.

Italy remained the leading destination for residents travelling from Malta, accounting for 31.7% of total outbound tourist trips. In absolute terms, trips to Italy reached 65,338, increasing by 4.4% over the previous year. Spain also recorded strong growth, with 20,725 trips, up by 18.9%, while Germany rose by 34.0% to 7,600 trips. Among non-EU destinations, India showed the sharpest increase among the listed countries, with 9,099 trips, up by 62.7%.

The majority of outbound tourists travelled by air. Air travel accounted for 194,498 trips, an increase of 13.7% over the first quarter of 2025. Low-cost airlines played a major role in this growth, carrying 127,976 passengers, up by 19.8%. Other airlines registered a more moderate increase of 3.5%, reaching 66,522 passengers.

Holiday travel remained the main reason for outbound trips, with 129,590 journeys, up by 15.7%. Trips to visit relatives and friends reached 48,472, increasing by 15.1%. The largest age group was made up of travellers aged 25 to 44, who represented 50.1% of all outbound tourists, followed by the 45 to 64 age bracket with 28.8%.

Spending by outbound tourists also increased. Total expenditure reached €193.4 million, up by 13.0% compared with the same period of 2025. The largest spending category was “other expenditure”, at €103.8 million, followed by non-package expenditure at €75.0 million and air/sea fares at €43.8 million. Despite the increase in total spending, average expenditure per capita edged down slightly from €944 to €940, while average expenditure per night fell from €130 to €119, reflecting the longer average stay.

The average length of stay rose from 7.3 nights in the first quarter of 2025 to 7.9 nights in 2026. Trips lasting seven nights or more increased by 24.2%, reaching 62,439, confirming a stronger trend towards longer stays abroad.

ARTICLE WRITTEN BY NSO
FOLLOW THE UPDATES ON NSO