The latest National Statistics Office (NSO) figures published on Monday for May showed a drop of 15.7 per cent in bed-place occupancy in hotels and other collective accommodation establishments when compared to the same month a year ago.
The overall occupancy rate in collective accommodation establishments went down by 15.7 per cent in May 2009 over the comparative month in 2008, to stand at 48.5 per cent as against 64.2 per cent in May 2008.
While the net use of bed-places in Malta went down by 15.6 per cent to 49.1 per cent, the net use of bed-places in Gozo dropped by 18.8 percentage points over the comparative month in 2008 to 35.3 per cent, three per cent.
The total arrivals in collective accommodation establishments recorded in May 2009 stood at 103,141 of which 91,470 or 88.7 per cent were non-resident arrivals.
During the month under review, total nights spent in collective accommodation establishments were recorded at 582,733 – a decrease of 22.6 per cent over the corresponding month in 2008, with the largest drops being registered in the 4-star and 3-star hotel categories.
The NSO said that in May 2009, the average length of stay stood at 5.6 nights
Accounting for 95.5 per cent of the national bed-stock, the overall supply of bed-places in Malta stood at 37,319 beds, an increase of 1.4 per cent when compared to May 2008.
On an annual basis, the net use of bed-places in Malta went down by 15.6 percentage points to 49.1 per cent. The average length of stay stood at 5.8 nights.
Nights spent by non-residents accounted for 96.6 per cent of total guest-nights in Malta, with an average length of stay of 6.2 nights.
In Gozo and Comino, the overall supply of bed-places stood at 1,758 beds, an increase of 2.3 per cent over the comparable month a year ago.
The net use of bed-places in May was 35.3 per cent, a decrease of 18.8 percentage points over the comparative month in 2008.
The average length of stay stood at 3.2 nights, a decrease of 0.6 nights when compared to May 2008.
Nights spent by non-residents accounted for 73.3 per cent of total guest-nights in Gozo.
