VALLETTA, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- Malta International Airport (MIA) handled 8.96 million inbound and outbound passengers in 2024, marking a 14.8 percent increase over the previous year, the airport announced on Thursday. This figure represents the third-highest annual growth rate in the airport's history.
MIA CEO Alan Borg highlighted the airport's strong performance during a news conference, attributing the growth to Malta's continued appeal among travelers. "The solid growth witnessed last year put us in the lead among our southern European counterparts, indicating that Malta remained popular with travellers," he noted.
August was the busiest month, with 983,182 passenger movements, while March recorded the highest growth rate. Borg expressed optimism for 2025, citing a positive outlook for the first quarter and an ambitious summer schedule connecting Malta to 109 destinations.
To accommodate the anticipated rise in passenger numbers, forecasted to reach 9.3 million in 2025, MIA plans to invest 70 million euros (approximately 72 million U.S. dollars) in infrastructure improvements. Borg announced that a significant upgrade would be the unveiling of a new Schengen arrivals corridor, streamlining the flow of passengers directly into the Baggage Reclaim area. This area will also feature modernized reclaim belts, enhancing efficiency and passenger experience.
According to the National Statistics Office, Malta attracted 3,371,249 inbound tourists in the first 11 months of 2024, a 19.5 percent increase compared to the same period in 2023. Total tourist expenditure reached 3.2 billion euros, a substantial 23.2 percent rise from the previous year.
With these developments, Malta International Airport is poised for another year of robust growth, further cementing its status as a key hub in southern Europe. (1 euro = 1.03 U.S. dollars)
