Increase in Cyprus Tourist Numbers

For the first time in months, the number of tourist arrivals in Cyprus has increased slightly.

According to the official results of the Passengers Survey released yesterday, the number of tourist arrivals in Cyprus has increased by 0.8 per cent in comparison to last year’s June numbers. Following a continuing trend, a decrease in the number of tourists from Cyprus’ main markets, the UK and Germany was reported.

The amount of UK travellers who ventured to Cyprus in June 2006 stood at 157,503 but last month’s numbers show only 148,941 arrived. This accounts for a decrease of 5.4 per cent. The German market also decreased by 19.5 per cent dropping from 13,842 to 11,145 travellers.

Sweden showed the highest increase of 35.2 per cent, followed by a 26.7 per cent increase in tourists from Greece and a 16.9 per cent increase from Russia.

The Scandinavian market has risen slightly over the past six months with an increasing number of tourists from Norway, Sweden and Denmark. Again, Sweden provided the highest amount of tourists from this region going from 928 tourists in January to 15,933 in June. Although these numbers are not so impressive, they do show a strand of hope for the glum tourism industry in Cyprus.

The number of tourists coming from Russia also is encouraging for the industry. The survey showed an increase of 16.9 per cent, bringing the number of Russia’s travellers to Cyprus from 21,114 in June 2006 to 24,672 in June 2007.

Despite this influx of tourists from Russia, the overall period of January to June 2007 still bodes badly for the tourism industry with a 3.4 per cent decrease from this period in 2006, dropping from 998,325 to 964,097 tourist arrivals in Cyprus – a drop of just over 30,000.