Outbound tourism from Malta grows by over 6% in first half of 2025 as travel appetite persists

Aug 5, 2025 8:45 am CEST

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Maltese residents are increasingly embracing international travel in 2025, with newly released data from the National Statistics Office (NSO) showing a 6.1% year-on-year increase in outbound tourism for the first six months of the year.

Between April and June 2025, outbound tourist trips totaled 202,601, with holiday travel remaining the main driver. A total of 135,788 trips were made for leisure purposes, while 46,813 trips were made to visit friends and relatives, indicating a strong blend of tourism and social travel motives.

Italy remains Malta’s favourite destination

Italy continues to dominate as the top destination for Maltese travellers, accounting for 37.9% of all outbound tripsduring the second quarter. Proximity, cultural familiarity, and competitive pricing likely explain its enduring appeal, especially as EU travel continues to recover and expand post-pandemic.

Outbound travel to EU destinations increased by 10.8%, while non-EU trips saw an even sharper rise of 14.1%, suggesting a broadening of travel preferences beyond traditional European hotspots.

Younger age groups drive the trend

The age group 25 to 44 years was the most active in outbound travel, representing 44.6% of all tourists, followed by the 45 to 64 age bracket at 31.1%. This demographic trend points to a stable base of economically active individualsdriving outbound travel demand.

The average length of stay during the quarter stood at 7.1 nights, with total guest nights reaching 1.5 million. Interestingly, over half (51.6%) of all nights were spent in non-rented accommodation, including stays with family or friends and in personally owned properties, highlighting a continued reliance on alternative and cost-effective lodging.

Outbound travel spending on the rise

Total estimated outbound expenditure between April and June 2025 reached €206.3 million, with a per capita spend of €987. This reflects not only growing travel volumes but increased spending confidence, possibly influenced by higher flight and accommodation costs or a preference for more premium travel experiences.

Cumulatively, for January to June 2025, outbound tourist trips totaled 390,391, representing a 6.1% increase over the same period in 2024. In parallel, nights spent abroad surged by 16.8%, reaching 2.8 million, and total expenditure jumped by 14.5% to €377.5 million.