U.S, Feb. 29 -- Bartolo noted that 2023 proved to be the best year of all time for Malta's tourism industry, including the number of inbound tourists, guest nights spent in Malta, and tourist expenditure. The Minister further stated that Malta was the best performing Mediterranean destination in 2023, and one of the first destinations in Europe to fully recover after the pandemic.

The increase from the U.S. & Canadian markets also showed extraordinary growth. According to Michelle Buttigieg, the Malta Tourism Authority North American Representative, the 2023 total number of visitors from the U.S. was 55,096, an increase of 35.6% over 2022 and a 9% increase over 2019 pre-COVID numbers. Canada also showed a 36.3% growth (20,820) over 2022...