Nearly half of Gozo businesses had a better summer than last year

Nearly half of Gozo businesses that took part in a recent survey reported a stronger summer performance than last year.  

The survey, by the Gozo Tourism Association, was carried out online and asked businesses about their performance from July to September of this year.

Responses were sent in by accommodation providers, restaurants, diving centres, tourist attractions, transport operators, travel agencies and consultancy firms, among others.

The association said the survey revealed a generally positive outcome for the summer season. 

When asked to classify their overall business performance, nearly half (48%) reported an improvement over last year, while a third (34%) said businesses remained at the same level. Almost a fifth (18%) experienced a decline. 

This positive trend was further supported by the impact of the foreign market: 65% of respondents reported a positive effect from foreign tourists, with only 12% reporting a negative impact. 

When comparing this year’s foreign market performance with 2024, 49% said it was better, 36% said it was equal, and 15% experienced a downturn.

"These findings confirm a strengthening dependence on international visitor flows, which continued to support the sector during peak months," the association added.

When it came to the domestic market, the results were more stable. 

A majority (57%) reported that Maltese tourists had no significant impact on their performance, while 30% experienced a positive effect and 13% a negative one.

When compared to 2024, the domestic market remained largely unchanged, with 64% reporting equal performance, 17% noting a decrease, and 19% observing an improvement.

Revenue during summer 2025, meanwhile, was described as strong by most respondents.

Nearly two-thirds (62%) rated their summer revenue as 'good', while 6% classified it as 'excellent', with only a small minority rating peak season revenue as 'poor'.

When directly compared to summer last year, the picture remained consistent: 49% of operators reported higher revenue, 31% stated revenue remained equal, and 21% experienced lower figures.

Among those who reported improved revenue, the most frequently cited reasons were increases in their prices (56%), an increase in clientele (51%), and more effective marketing strategies (42%).

A notable proportion also attributed the improvement to new services or offers (38%), indicating ongoing efforts across the sector to diversify and enhance competitiveness.

Summer challenges

When asked about the challenges faced during the summer months, most respondents highlighted familiar obstacles.

Rising operating costs remained the most pressing issue, cited by 64% of operators, followed by staff shortages (53%).

Excessive red tape was highlighted by 27%, while 20% pointed to the skills pass, and 29% noted growing competition. 

Only 9% reported facing no challenges at all, underscoring a season that continued to test operational resilience.

In terms of business operations, the majority of respondents, 60% reported that their operations remained unchanged compared to 2024.

Meanwhile, 38% observed an improvement, and only 3% reported a deterioration, signalling a largely steady operational environment with pockets of progress.

Finally, participants were asked to provide their views on “quality tourism”.

Some 74% believed Gozo is not currently attracting high-quality tourists, with only 26% responding positively.

On the supply side, when evaluating whether Gozo offers a quality tourism product in return, 63% felt that the island is not yet providing a sufficiently strong or high-value product, while 37% believed it does.

These responses point to a perceived gap between the tourism product offered on the island and the expectations of higher-spending, quality-driven travellers.