Tourism statistics

When the Minister of Tourism tells us that tourism has gone up by 2.2 per cent compared with the same period last year, and that in May tourism has increased by 4.8 per cent, is he taking into account that there are many British, French, German and...

When the Minister of Tourism tells us that tourism has gone up by 2.2 per cent compared with the same period last year, and that in May tourism has increased by 4.8 per cent, is he taking into account that there are many British, French, German and Scandinavians who are married to Maltese and have to fill out a landing card to enter Malta?

Let me give an example. Being married to a Maltese and having freedom of movement and the right to live and work in Malta, when arriving at Malta International Airport two weeks ago, the Customs official failed to see my exempt person stamp and so stamped my passport with a three-month visa forbidding me to work here, although I saw the funny side of it and commented that it was a good excuse to take a day away from work.

Was I officially entered in the statistical database as a tourist arrival?

I would be interested in a reply from the Tourism Minister as to how the actual figures are compiled.

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