Malta’s tourism industry continued its strong momentum in 2026, welcoming nearly 1.7 million international visitors during the first five months of the year while generating more than €1.3 billion in visitor spending.
According to the latest official tourism figures, Malta recorded 1,673,602 inbound tourists between January and May, up 17.9% year over year. Including overnight cruise passengers, total inbound arrivals reached 1,696,157, an increase of 17.4%. The Gulf War turned indeed into a major factor in Malta strong appeal on European holidaymakers.
The growth translated into 9.17 million guest nights, up 12% from the same period in 2025, although the average length of stay slipped from 5.8 nights to 5.5 nights.
Visitor spending remained robust. Total tourist expenditure reached an estimated €1.34 billion, representing a 14.7% increase year over year. Average spending per visitor eased slightly to €800, down 2.8%, reflecting the shorter average stay. However, spending per night increased 2.4% to €146, indicating travelers continued to spend more during their visits.
Poland becomes Malta second largest inbound market
The UK remained Malta’s largest inbound market, accounting for 346,025 visitors or 20.7% of all arrivals. British arrivals increased nearly 20% compared with the first five months of 2025, reinforcing the country’s position as Malta’s most important tourism source market.
Poland emerged as the standout performer. Visitor numbers surged 47.1% year over year to 227,347, making it Malta’s second-largest international market with a 13.6% share. Italy followed closely with 217,822 visitors, up 7%.
Germany also posted healthy gains, with arrivals increasing 13.4% to more than 103,000 visitors, while several other European markets recorded strong double-digit growth. The Netherlands rose 32.6%, Switzerland increased 30%, the United States climbed 30.8%, Romania grew 32%, and Scandinavian markets expanded 27.8%.
Not every market grew. France, traditionally one of Malta’s larger European source markets, declined in the meantime by 9.4% and becomes the only large market to see a contraction in arrivals. The number of Belgian travelers to Malta also slipped by a more moderate 1.7%.
Europe continued to dominate Malta’s tourism mix, with travelers from European Union countries accounting for 66% of all inbound visitors during the January-May period. Non EU-market generated a total of 565,053 travelers.
The figures underline Malta’s continued appeal as a Mediterranean destination, supported by strong air connectivity, year-round tourism promotion and growing demand from both established Western European markets and rapidly expanding Central and Eastern European countries. While visitors are spending slightly less per trip due to shorter stays, higher daily spending and rising overall arrivals continue to boost tourism’s contribution to the Maltese economy.
