Collective Accommodation Establishments: Q1/2024
In the first quarter of 2024, the largest share of guest nights was reported in 4-star hotels, with 48.3 per cent of the total (Table 2).
The average length of stay in collective accommodation establishments in 2024 decreased at 4.0 nights, 0.1 less when compared to the figure registered during the same quarter of 2023. The net use of bed-places stood at 49.1 per cent, up by 3.7 percentage points when compared to the corresponding quarter of the previous year (Table 3).
On a national level, during March 2024, there were 304 active collective accommodation establishments with a net capacity of 20,218 bedrooms and 46,230 bed-places (Table 4).
Regional breakdown
On a regional level, total guests in Malta numbered 476,705, up by 21.0 per cent over the first quarter of 2023. Additionally, an increase of 19.6 per cent was recorded in the number of nights spent, reaching 1,946,105 nights. Total guests in Gozo and Comino increased by 15.1 per cent to 17,467, while nights increased by 24.6 per cent to 40,714 (Tables 1 and 2).
When compared with the same quarter of the previous year, in Malta, the average length of stay remained constant at 4.1 nights. In Gozo and Comino, the average length of stay went up by 0.1 of a night to 2.3 nights. The net occupancy rate in Malta increased by 3.8 percentage points, reaching 50.0 per cent, and that in Gozo and Comino increased by 3.3 percentage points to 25.2 per cent (Table 3).
Chart 1. Total guests and nights spent
No Data Found
Tables
Tables
Methodological Notes
1. The objective of the Survey on Collective Accommodation Establishments is to estimate the utilisation rate of bed-places of all active collective accommodation establishments in Malta and Gozo. The variables collected from the survey include:
● Number of residents;
● Number of non-residents;
● Nights spent by residents;
● Nights spent by non-residents;
● Number of room nights sold to non-residents;
● Number of room nights sold to residents;
● Number of bedrooms;
● Number of bed-places;
● Number of days the establishment was closed during the month under review.
The collection of the above variables and the calculation of occupancy levels are in line with Regulation (EU) No. 692/2011.
2. The survey is distributed monthly to all collective accommodation establishments, namely hotels, guesthouses, hostels and tourist villages.
3. Response rates:
| Response rate | 2023 | 2024 |
| January | 92.7% | 91.8% |
| February | 89.1% | 92.5% |
| March | 91.2% | 92.4% |
4. In this release, figures for October-December 2023 should be considered as a second estimate while those relating to January-March 2024 are a first estimate (data cut-off date 7 March 2024), therefore subject to revision in the ensuing release.
5. The Malta Tourism Authority (MTA) classification of all accommodation categories is found in Legal Notice 351 of 2012
6. Users are advised that comparisons between non-resident arrivals recorded in the Inbound Tourism survey (Tourstat, demand-side) and the Collective Accommodation survey (Accomstat, supply-side), should be undertaken in the knowledge that discrepancies will be found. These are mainly due to differences in definitions and methodologies. For more details, one can consult Concept 15.4 of the NSO’s metadata file.
7. Definitions:
● Bedroom: a unit formed by one room or group of rooms constituting an indivisible rental whole in an accommodation establishment or dwelling.
● Bed-place: in an establishment, this is determined by the number of persons who can stay overnight in the establishment, not taking into account any extra beds that may be provided to clients on request.
● Residents: Maltese/Gozitan residents who check into/out of a collective accommodation establishment. A person is considered to be a Maltese/Gozitan resident if:
(a) S/he has lived for most of the past 12 months in Malta/Gozo;
(b) S/he has lived in Malta/Gozo for less than 12 months but intends to return within a year to settle here.
● Non-residents: foreigners who do not necessarily follow the definition of a tourist and check into/out of a collective accommodation establishment.
● Total guests: the total number of residents and non-residents.
● Total nights spent: the total number of nights which guests actually spend or are registered to spend in a collective accommodation establishment.
● Net use of bed-places: the net occupancy rate calculated for all active accommodation establishments, net of seasonal closures and other temporary closures. The occupancy of bed-places is calculated by dividing the total nights during the reference period by the number of bed-places and the number of days when the bed-places are actually available for use during the reference period. The result is then multiplied by 100 to express the occupancy rate as a percentage.
● Average length of stay: this is calculated as follows:
● Tourist: a visitor who stays at least one night in collective or private accommodation in the place/country visited.
8. More information relating to this news release may be accessed at:
Sources and Methods
Statistical Concepts
Metadata
Statistical Database
9. References to this news release are to be cited appropriately.
10. A detailed news release calendar is available online.
11. For further assistance, please submit your query through our online request form.
Collective Accommodation Establishments: Q1/2024
- In the first quarter of 2024, total guests in collective accommodation establishments amounted to 494,172, up by 20.8 per cent reported in the corresponding period of 2023.
- Total nights spent during the period under review reached 1,986,819, an increase of 19.7 per cent over first quarter of 2023.
- During January-March 2024, the largest share of guest nights (48.3 per cent) was reported in 4-star hotels.
- Net use of bed-places in the first quarter of this year increased by 3.7 percentage points, when compared to the same quarter of 2023, to 49.1 per cent.
