‘We achieved our milestones’ – VCP CEO Stephen Xuereb

Valletta Cruise Port (VCP) CEO Stephen Xuereb has hailed 2024 as a record-breaking year for the industry, confirming that the port achieved its milestones and remains on track for another strong year in 2025.

In a video posted on social media, Mr Xuereb reflected on the port’s achievements, stating: “2024 was a record year. We achieved our milestones. It looks like next year will also be a good one.”

He also highlighted the strong momentum of winter cruises and revealed that the next key milestone is to reach 960,000 passenger movements.

Record-breaking passenger movements and increased cruise calls

Data from the National Statistics Office (NSO) confirms that Valletta Cruise Port saw over 940,000 passenger movements in 2024, surpassing the pre-pandemic peak of 2019 by four per cent. The final quarter of 2024 alone saw 176,812 passengers visit Malta, marking a 4.6 per cent increase compared to the same period in 2023.

The number of cruise liner calls also saw a notable rise, with 92 vessels berthing in Malta between October and December, up by ten from the previous year. However, despite the increase in total traffic, the average number of passengers per vessel declined slightly to 1,922, a drop of 140 passengers per ship compared to 2023.

Key passenger demographics and market trends

Transit passengers continued to be the primary category, accounting for 166,564, or 94.2 per cent, of total traffic. European Union (EU) nationals made up 36.2 per cent of cruise arrivals, with Italy (10.2 per cent) and Germany (8.8 per cent) being the leading source markets.

Passengers from non-EU countries totalled 112,806, with the United States emerging as the largest contributor at 44.8 per cent, followed by the United Kingdom at 18.1 per cent.

Demographically, female passengers formed the majority at 54.1 per cent. The cruise market remained popular among older travellers, with 46.2 per cent of passengers falling within the 60-79 age bracket, followed by 27.4 per cent in the 40-59 age group.

The cruise industry remains a significant contributor to Malta’s economy, benefiting various sectors, including shipping services, retail, catering, and tourism in Valletta and the Grand Harbour region. It is estimated that cruise ships docking at the Grand Harbour generate approximately €88 million annually, with €38 million coming from passenger spending and another €50 million from cruise line companies.