Malta’s tourism sector continues its upward momentum in 2025, with March bringing in a notable 289,030 visitors – a 19.7 per cent increase over the same month last year. The figures, published by the National Statistics Office, highlight a healthy rebound and growing international interest in the Maltese Islands.

Who’s visiting?

The data shows that younger and middle-aged travellers are leading the charge, with 37.4 per cent of tourists aged 25–44, followed by 33.9 per cent aged 45–64. First-time visitors made up the bulk of arrivals – 231,448 people – but repeat tourism is remains robust, climbing to 57,581 in March, a sharp increase from 45,001 in March 2023.

Business tourism also held steady, with 12,116 visitors – or 4.2 per cent of total arrivals – coming to Malta for work-related reasons.

Where are they coming from?

Tourists from the United Kingdom, Italy, and Poland remained Malta’s most enthusiastic visitors, collectively making up 44.5 per cent of all inbound travel.

How long and how much?

The average stay clocked in at 5.6 nights, contributing to more than 1.6 million nights spent on the islands – 14.8 per cent more than in March 2024. And those nights are translating into strong revenues: tourist expenditure reached €219.1 million, up 19.5 per cent year-on-year, with the average spend per night at €136.

The vast majority – 91.8 per cent of guest nights – were spent in rented accommodation, indicating a continued preference for hotels, short-let apartments, and holiday rentals.

Q1 snapshot: January–March 2025

Looking at the broader picture, the first quarter of 2025 paints a similarly optimistic picture:

• Inbound tourists: 693,492 (+18.9 per cent)
• Total nights spent: nearly 4 million (+15.9 per cent)
• Tourist expenditure: €508.5 million (+24.6 per cent)
• Per capita spend: €733 (up from €700 in 2024)

A remarkable 48 per cent of all inbound tourists – 332,627 people – also ventured to Gozo and Comino, highlighting the growing appeal of Malta’s sister islands for both day-trippers and overnight stays.