Two-thirds of the Maltese will not be taking any holidays this summer, a MaltaToday survey on consumption patterns reveals.
The survey shows a 6% increase in people not taking a holiday over the past two years. Another MaltaToday survey conducted in 2006, showed that 59% had not taken any summer holiday compared to the present 65%.
The decrease in holidaymakers comes in the wake of a 5% drop in the number of persons who spent their holiday in Gozo and a 2% drop in those spending their holiday in a hotel in Malta.
This may well be a clear indication that the international recession has taken its toll on the holiday season.
Gozo has received a sharp blow with the number of Maltese holidaymakers there decreasing from 12% in 2006, to just 7.4% now.
The number of those spending their holiday in a hotel in Malta has also decreased by 1.7%. On the other hand, the number of people going abroad has gone up from 21% in 2007 to 23.6% in 2009, an indication that middle-class respondents have not given up on their overseas trips.
Younger people, the university-educated and middle-class respondents were the most likely to go abroad.
While 37% of those aged 16-34 will have a holiday abroad this summer, only 20% of those aged 35-55 intend to do likewise.
On the other hand, middle-aged respondents were the most likely to holiday in Gozo. While 12.4% of those aged between 35-55 will holiday in Gozo, only 7% of those aged under 35 will do the same.
And while 44% of the university-educated will go abroad, only 15% of those with a secondary education will do the same.
Self-employed (SE) and working-class respondents (C2/DE) were the least likely to spend their holidays abroad, while professionals and managers (AB) were the most likely to holiday abroad.
Even pensioners are more likely to go abroad than working class respondents and the self-employed.
The survey also shows that a staggering 77% of self-employed respondents would not be taking any holiday at all.
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