Malta recorded the sharpest rise in overnight stays across the EU in the first half of 2025, with a 12.7 per cent increase compared to the same period last year, according to new Eurostat data.

This marks the strongest growth among all member states, well above the EU average increase of just 2.3 per cent.

The performance cements Malta’s position as one of Europe’s most popular tourist destination.

Foreign visitors accounted for 93.6 per cent of all overnight stays on the islands between January and June, the highest share in the EU.

Eurostat figures show that the number of nights spent by international guests surged by 13 per cent in Malta, again leading the bloc.

By comparison, Latvia (+8.6 per cent) and Poland (+8.5 per cent) were the next best performers, while larger markets such as Germany (+0.2 per cent), Sweden (+0.5 per cent) and Belgium (+0.9 per cent) registered only marginal growth.

Ireland was the only country to post a decline (-3.5 per cent).

Tourism remains a cornerstone of Malta’s economy, and the latest numbers point to both strong demand for the destination and the successful recovery of the sector after recent years of volatility due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The dominance of foreign tourists highlights the islands’ continued reliance on international travel flows, but also underscores Malta’s ability to attract visitors in an increasingly competitive market.