Malta witnessed a sharp rise in tourism during the first six months of the year, something that may lead to more employment in the island state.

According to official figures from the government, the number of inbound tourists climbed by 20 per cent in June to 136,758 compared to the same month of 2009, with the majority of travelers holiday makers.

The Tourstat data revealed total nights spent by visitors to the Maltese islands increased by nine per cent to one million and a sharp rise was also recorded in the number of business tourists.

Most inbound tourists hailed from Europe, in particular the UK and Italy, while a 27 per cent rise was seen in those coming from nations outside the EU.

An 11 per cent year-on-year jump has been reported in inbound tourists for the first six months of 2010 in Malta, which could help to generate new employment opportunities.

The Maltese archipelago has a population of around 400,000 and covers 316 sq km in the Mediterranean.

Posted by Alex Donnell