Tourists flocked to Malta in April, with hotels, restaurants and sites welcoming 19 times the number of people than they did last year.

National Statistics Office figures show there were almost 195,000 tourists, up from a mere 10,000 the year before.

But while the numbers are positive for the tourism industry, they are far below pre-pandemic levels, closer to 2017 numbers, when there were just under 200,000 tourists.

In 2019, when Malta recorded record numbers of arrivals, there were 240,000 in April alone. 

The vast majority of tourists in Malta this April were on holiday and the largest share was aged 25-44 years old. People may have chosen to holiday in Malta during the Easter break, although the NSO does not provide a week-by-week tally. 

French, German and Italian residents made up almost 40% of the tourists, who spent an average of just over six nights.

The total tourist expenditure reached €138 million. 

Figures from the period January to April also show that while the numbers of people travelling to Malta were dramatically higher than last year, 430,000 compared to just over 43,000, this years arrivals were not as big spenders as last year. 

Total expenditure per capita for the first four months stood at €710, down from €904 in 2021.