Same-day visitors make up 83.5% of visitors in Gozo and Comino – NSO
Same-day visitors account for 83.5% of the total inbound visitors to Gozo and Comino, according to the 2017 edition of the NSO’s Regional Statistics publication.
In 2016, total visitors to Gozo and Comino in 2016 reached 1,148,465, up by 13.2 per cent from 2015. Tourism activity remained highly skewed towards same-day visitors, with 958, 606 individuals.
Nearly one-sixth of the total visitors to Gozo and Comino (189 859) were inbound tourists, an increase of 14.7 per cent when compared to 2015.
There was an estimated expenditure of €117.5 million. Nonpackage expenditure was three times higher when compared to package expenditure.
With regards to same day visitors, the majority came from EU Member States (86.1%), with one of the major markets being the UK and visited Malta on a nonpackage trip (53.9%). Most sameday visitors were aged between 25 and 44 (35.1 per cent).
Whereas same-day visitors to Gozo and Comino on a non-package stay continued to shift upwards, posting a solid increase of 28.3% in 2016, same-day visitors on package organised trips dropped by 0.9%.
In 2016, 80.9% of the same-day visitors to Gozo and Comino visited the country for the first time. The remaining 19.1% were repeat tourists, 18.5% of which visited the country twice a year or more.
Inbound tourists who visited Gozo and Comino region as a single centre destination amounted to 84,684, an increase of 13.6% over 2015. The majority came from EU Member States (86.9 per cent), with strongest market being the UK.
Those visiting both regions during their stay accounted for 5.3%.
There was an estimated expenditure of €117.5 million. Nonpackage expenditure was three times higher when compared to package expenditure.
Most of the inbound single centre trips to Gozo and Comino region fell within the bracket of 7 nights or more. Notwithstanding, the largest percentage increase (49.1%) was reported in the category of 1 to 3 nights followed by 4 to 6 nights category.
In 2016, the average length of stay of single centre inbound tourist to Gozo and Comino region shortened to 9.7 nights from 10.0 nights in 2015. This drop follows the downward pattern of the last 4 years.
Żebbuġ (Gozo), Xagħra, Għajnsielem and Comino, Munxar and San Lawrenz featured as the top five places where single centre inbound tourists to Gozo and Comino region stayed longest.