More than half of tourism operators in Gozo saw a drop in their revenue for the first six months of the year when compared to 2023, new data published by the Gozo Tourism Association has found. 

Some 53% of businesses who responded to the association saw a drop in revenue, despite tourist arrivals increasing by 21% during the first five months of the year. 

Respondents came from the accommodation sector, restaurants, diving centres, tourist attractions, transport, tour operators, travel agencies, property rentals and tourism consultancy firms in Gozo. 

A staggering 88% of respondents said that they were impacted by recent electricity outages and a further 44% also noted damage to their equipment and stock as well as a a loss of business. 

This also lead to business owners having to compensate their clients for the inconvenience. 

An alarming 85% of respondents believe that the general touristic offer in Gozo is not meeting guests' expectations due to various factors including excessive construction, lack of tranquillity, poor infrastructure, noise disturbances, and cleanliness issues. 

56% said that their prices and rates remained unchanged compared to the previous year, with 57% also saying that they mostly depend on foreign visitors and 43% mainly Maltese customers.

While 54% of respondents noted an increase in overall customer satisfaction compared to the same period last year, 93% of the survey participants reported an increase also in their operational costs. 

The survey highlighted the primary challenges faced by establishments, with 56% citing increased competition, 44% pointing to the economic conditions, and 42% noting the lack of human resources. 

When questioned about their pricing strategies, 47% of respondents stated that there was no change, while 40% reported the need to increase their prices due to rising costs. 

Improved online reviews and feedback from clients were reported by 51% of the respondents when compared to the same period of last year, while 56% stated that there was no change in their marketing and promotional initiatives. 

When questioned about the Skills Pass, a significant 78% of respondents indicated that they have not been affected by the Skills Pass initiative yet, although the other 22% reported a negative impact.