176,510 people visited Hagar Qim Temples in 2017

A total of 176,510 people visited Hagar Qim temples during 2017, according to figures tabled in parliament on Tuesday.

The number represents a 45.19% increase over 2013, which saw 121,568 people visit the temples.

The statistics were tabled in parliament by Justice Minister Owen Bonnici who was replying to a question by Nationalist MP Toni Bezzina, who asked for a breakdown of the number of visitors by month since 2013.

The reply does not specify what proportion of the visitors were tourists but if one assumes that most were, they would account for some 7% of the total number of visitors to Malta in 2017.

A look at the data shows that the most popular months, at least since 2013, are April, May and October, possibly indicating visitors’ preference for months with milder weather.

In 2017, the largest number of visitors at the UNESCO world heritage site was registered in April, with 21,458 visitors. The second busiest month was October with 209,000 visitors.