Tourism surge continues: Malta sees 18.5% jump in February arrivals

Malta’s tourism sector continued its strong growth in February 2026, with inbound tourist arrivals estimated at 249,139 — an increase of 18.5 per cent compared to the same month in 2025.

The majority of visitors, 224,757, travelled for holiday purposes, while 14,600 arrived for business. Travellers aged 25 to 44 accounted for the largest share at 35.7 per cent, closely followed by those aged 45 to 64 at 35.0 per cent. Nearly half of all arrivals (49.6 per cent) came from the United Kingdom, Poland and Italy.

Total nights spent by tourists rose by 10.3 per cent year-on-year, reaching 1.4 million. Most guest nights (90.5 per cent) were spent in rented accommodation, while the average length of stay stood at 5.5 nights.

Tourist expenditure for the month reached €171.7 million, marking a 16.9 per cent increase over February 2025. Average spending per night was estimated at €125.8.

Meanwhile, 103,579 tourists visited Gozo and Comino — either as day-trippers or overnight guests — representing 41.6 per cent of total arrivals.

January–February Overview

In the first two months of 2026, inbound tourists totalled 484,911, up by 19.9 per cent compared to the same period last year. Total nights spent rose by 16.1 per cent to 2.7 million.

Tourist expenditure reached €350.6 million, an increase of 21.1 per cent year-on-year, while per capita spending edged up to €723 from €716 in 2025.

Visits to Gozo and Comino during this period totalled 197,080, accounting for 40.6 per cent of all tourists.