Tourstat data for August showed a decrease of 1.9 per cent in the number of inbound tourists and a decline of 5.1 per cent in total nights, bringing the average length of stay down by 0.3 of a night.

According to new data published Tuesday by the NSO, inbound tourists were estimated at 191,583. Overall, first-time visitors accounted for 72 per cent of inbound tourists. In line with previous months, 87 per cent of inbound tourists came from EU Member States, and in particular from the euro area. Tourists coming from countries outside the EU increased by 11 per cent.

Inbound tourists during the first eight months this year totalled 972,014, an increase of 7 per cent over 2010. In absolute terms, this growth is mostly attributable to an increase in holiday visits, mainly from the UK market. On the other hand, decreases were recorded in the Italian, Libyan and Spanish markets.

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