BELGIUM Market Profile 2022
No. 8 Rank 2.4% Market Share
Inbound Tourists • 2010: 24,296 • 2019: 70,886 • 2020: 19,015 • 2021: 31,768 • 2022: 55,821
Seasonality
14.1%
Air Connectivity Airlines
• Air Malta • Ryanair
Airports
• Brussels • Brussels South Charleroi
29.7%
33.2%
22.9%
Bed Nights Total Nights
Average Length of Stay
458,266 370,411 6.6 Nights 181,393
2010
2019
2022
Expenditure Total Expenditure
Expenditure per Capita
€ 51.5
€ 48.4
million
million
€ 21.8
€ 867
million
2010
2019
2022
Socio-Demographic Profile Age Groups Region of Residence 6.3%
24.2%
26.2%
9.9% West Flanders
12.9% 14.4% East Brussels Flanders
79.7% Tertiary Level
0 - 24 years 25 - 44 years 45 - 64 years 65+ years
8.5% Secondary Level 7.5% Post-secondary Level
43.3% 21.3% Antwerp 4.0% Limburg 7.4% Walloon Brabant
17.3% Flemish Brabant
Level of Education
Average Age: 51 years
Occupation
Living Arrangements 45.8% With Spouse/Partner 30.4% With Spouse/Partner and Children
5.0% Hainaut 3.5% Namur
4.5% Liege
11.2% On their own 53.3% Employed Full-time
19.2% Retired
9.3% 13.6% Self-Employed Employed Part-time
7.0% With Children 4.7% With Parents
0.9% With Relatives/ Friends/ Room Mates
Digital Media Usage Regular 3.
Travel Purposes 2.
2.
3.
4. 1.
1.
4.
5.
84.8%
72.3%
6. 7.
59.6%
of tourists shared their experience in Malta on social media during stay.
5.
Travel Motivations
Sun & Culture
Sun
Culture
55.0%
13.3%
8.6%
Scuba Diving
Business
8.0%
6.5%
Wellness
Visiting Friends & Relatives
6.1% Other Sports
Special Occasion
3.1% TEFL
Text
2.2%
1.7%
1.0%
Destination Choice Influencers Communication Channels
50.5% Digital Media
Other Factors
46.3% Recommendation by Friends/Relatives
74.5% New Destination
43.5% Good flight connections
Text
20.4% Tour Operator brochure/website
19.0% Travel Guide book
10.6% Newspaper/ Magazine Advert/ Article
4.6% TV
8.8% Recommendation by travel agent
4.2% Books
39.4% Cost/ Value for Money
25.5% English Spoken Widely
9.7% Maltese Hospitality
15.3% Previous Visit
3.2% Film Shot Locally
Type of Booking Trip Bookings Made With
Package Bookings
Non-Package Bookings 71.1 %
70.9% 45.1 % 31.9 %
54.5 %
42.7 % 26.6 % 7.6 %
Tour Operator/ Directly with Exclusively Travel Agency Suppliers Internet-Based Travel Operator
Tour Operator/ Directly with Exclusively Travel Agency Suppliers Internet-Based Travel Operator
5% Tour Operator/ Directly with Exclusively Travel Agency Suppliers Internet-Based Travel Operator
Package Non-Package
4.7% 37.1% 58.2%
Both
82.2%
Completed Trip Bookings Online
Type of Trip
1st Time vs Repeat Tourists Malta Only Gozo/ Comino Only Both
11.2% 2.8% 86%
78.5% First Time
21.5% Repeat
Travelling Party
5.1% Alone
50.9% Spouse/Partner
31.5% Family
6.0% Friends
5.6% Organised Group
0.9% Business Associates
Type of Accommodation Used Malta & Gozo
14.1% of Belgian tourists spending nights in Malta & Gozo stayed in 5* hotels.
36.6% stayed in 4* hotels.
15.5% stayed in 3* hotels.
10.8% utilised guesthouse/ hostel.
17.4% utilised self-catering apartment/ farmhouse/ villa.
Activities Engaged In Cultural 85.2% Visit Historical Buildings
Outdoor 56.5% Swimming/ Sunbathing
74.1% Visit Churches 55.1% Visit temples/ archeological sites
46.8% Visit Museums 12.0% Visit local produce sites/ agro-experiences 10.2% Attend Local festival/ event 8.3% Visit arts/ craft sites
51.7% Trekking/ Hiking
51.4% Leisure Boat trip/ tour
9.3% Scuba Diving
Recreational 77.3% Dine at restaurants
44.9% Shopping
16.7% Spa/ Wellness
Tourists' Expectations of Malta Exceeded
Met
Not Met
38.3%
51.9%
9.8%
89.2%
Would recommend the Maltese Islands to their friends/ relatives
Sources: MIA, NSO & MTA Traveller Survey Compiled by MTA Research Unit