More trips to Gozo in 2020 but less cars, passengers
6421 Min Read
Trips to Gozo increased during the past year, as many locals opted in favour of travelling between the islands during the coronavirus pandemic particularly during the Summer months. Data released by the NSO today shows that overall, during 2020, the number of trips went up by 1,421 or 5.1 per cent, when compared to 2019.
Despite this increase in trips, the number of passengers crossing the channel went down by 2,143,799 or 36.2 per cent, while vehicle movements between the islands decreased by 230,771 or 12.9 per cent, over the previous year.
During 2020, July recorded the highest number of trips and vehicles, 2,790 and 179,425, respectively. On the other hand, August registered the largest share of passengers crossing between the two islands, 452,929. Passenger and vehicle traffic originating from Ċirkewwa was busiest on Friday and Saturday, the NSO said, whereas highest numbers for passengers and vehicle traffic originating from Mġarr were recorded on Sunday and Monday.
October was busier than December
Despite the furore erupted as large numbers of locals spent some of their Christmas holidays on the sister island, the NSO data reveals that when looking at the last quarter of the year (October to December), the highest number of passengers was recorded in October at 327,214 or 37.4 per cent of the total for the quarter.
A total of 876,054 passengers travelled between Malta and Gozo during the fourth quarter of 2020, down by 35.4 per cent when compared to the corresponding quarter in 2019.
