Malta’s tourism industry reached new heights in 2024, welcoming a record 3.56 million inbound tourists.
Figures by the country’s National Statistics Office show that total tourist expenditure rose by 23.1%, up from €2.7 billion in 2023 to €3.3 billion in 2024.
Each visitor spent an average of €924, an indication that Malta’s drive to attract higher-spending visitors is bearing fruit.
In fact, Malta remains one of the fastest-recovering destinations in the tourism sector. After surpassing pre-pandemic levels in 2023, the country maintained its momentum with a 19.5% increase in arrivals in 2024. This placed Malta among the top-performing destinations in Europe and the Southern Mediterranean, ahead of competitors like Spain, Portugal, Cyprus, and Croatia.
The UK – with numbers up by 30.6% – regained its position as Malta’s largest inbound market, followed by Italy.
Chairman of the Malta Tourism Authority Dr Charles Mangion added: “2024 is a clear reflection of Malta’s strategic efforts to enhance its tourism offering. The strong growth demonstrates the resilience of the sector and the effectiveness of our initiatives. Moving forward, we remain committed to ensuring that this success translates into long-term, sustainable benefits for Malta’s economy and local communities.”
Malta, which comprises three main islands – Malta, Comino and Gozo – is known for its history, culture and temples dating back over 7,000 years and is home to three UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
In addition to its fortresses, megalithic temples and burial chambers, its archipelago is famous for its diving, which attracts aficionados from around the world, while the nightlife and music festival scene attract a younger demographic of travellers.
Malta is also consistently ranked as one of the top countries by the IGLA for LGBTQ+ travellers.
Gozo is known for its crystal-clear waters. In recent years it has become a popular destination for film crews, with its landscapes and iconic backdrops featuring in Gladiator 2, Napoleon, Troy, Game of Thrones, Gladiator and Jurassic World Dominion.
There are daily departures to Malta from airports across the UK, with an average flight time of three hours.
EasyJet introduced a new direct flight between Liverpool John Lennon Airport and Malta in December. It operates twice a week, on Tuesdays and Saturdays, year-round.
Tour operators who have enhanced their Malta offering include Just Go! Holidays whose expanded winter sun programme includes the resort of Qawra (pictured) and for the first time a shorter seven-night duration holiday is being offered alongside those for 14, 21 or 28 nights.
Available until March 3, 2025, with flights from Gatwick or Manchester, all holidays stay at the Canifor Hotel in Qawra on an all-inclusive basis, with extras including various excursions.
Seven-night breaks start from £799pp.
