COVID decimates cruise liner market: 92% less passengers last year

Malta registered a decrease of 92.3% in cruise liner passengers during 2020.

National Statistics Office figures show the total number of cruise passengers for 2020 stood at 59,018, down from 765,696 in 2019.

The cruise liner industry was hit hard by the global coronavirus pandemic and Malta was no exception.

Malta closed down its borders to tourists on 10 March, with the first cruise liner call on 21 August.

The majority of cruise liner passengers in 2020 came from Italy, with 22,131 hailing from our European neighbors. France (6,301) and Germany (4,728) recorded the second and third highest number of passengers.

2,907 passengers hailed from the United Kingdom, down from 123,088 in 2019.

47.7% of passengers were male, while 30,895 female cruise liner passengers were recorded.

The 40-59 age group were the most regular passengers with 19,858 individuals visiting Malta in 2020.

This signals a change in trend, with the 60-79 age group previously registering the highest number of passengers. In 2020, 13,617 individuals from the age bracket visited Malta, down from 298,009 in 2019.

165 embarkations were registered in 2020, down from 134,691 in 2019.

There were 32 cruise liner calls in 2020, with an average 1,844 passengers per vessel, compared to 359 calls and an average 2,133 passengers per vessel in the same period during 2019.