Italy accounted for 38.9% of all trips abroad made by residents of Malta between July and September 2026, keeping its place as the country's favourite overseas destination, according to figures from the National Statistics Office.

That share works out at roughly 110,700 trips to Italy over the three months, whether for weekend breaks, summer holidays or visits to family and friends.

Residents of Malta made 284,486 trips abroad in total during the summer months, up 5.1% on the same period in 2025. Travel to countries within the European Union rose by 3.1%, while trips to destinations outside the EU increased by 11.5%.

Over the same three months, residents spent an estimated €303 million on travel abroad.

Italy's position at the top is a long-running pattern, helped by how close it is. NSO figures covering the first quarter of 2026 put Italy as the most popular destination with a 31.7% share. Figures for the first half of 2026 then showed Italy accounting for 34.8% of all trips, around 145,986 journeys, as outbound travel from Malta rose sharply.

The latest quarter lifts Italy's share above both earlier periods this year. That tracks with the usual seasonal pattern, with the summer months drawing more travellers than the start of the year.

Nearly 87% of Maltese trips went to EU destinations in 2022, with Italy ranking among the most popular choices even then. The summer 2026 numbers keep Italy well ahead, both as the single most chosen destination and as the engine behind rising EU travel from Malta.