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17-01-2019 12:13

7,7% increase in tourist arrivals in December 2018

On the basis of the results of the Passengers Survey, arrivals of tourists reached 106.563 in December 2018 compared to 98.924 in December 2017, recording an increase of 7,7%. December 2018 had the highest volume of tourist arrivals ever recorded in Cyprus during the specific month.

For the period of January – December 2018 arrivals of tourists totaled 3.938.625 compared to 3.652.073 in the corresponding period of 2017, recording an increase of 7,8% and outnumbering the total arrivals ever recorded in Cyprus during a year (Table 1).

 

 

Analysis of changes

Tourist arrivals from the United Kingdom increased by 13,6% in December 2018 compared to December 2017 while an increase of 13,5% was also recorded for tourists from Greece. Contrary to that, a decrease of 18,8% in tourist arrivals from Russia and 7,2% from Israel were recorded. Percentage changes from one year to the next for the main countries of usual residence of tourists are presented in Table 1.

Main countries

The United Kingdom constitutes the main source of tourism for Cyprus for December 2018, with a proportion of 30,1% while arrivals from Greece comprise 14,8% of total arrivals, from Russia 9,4%  and from Israel 8,7% (Table 2).

Purpose of visit

For a percentage of 51,1% of tourists, the purpose of their trip in December 2018 was holidays, for 36,9% visit to friends and relatives and for 11,9% business (Table 3). 

Table1

   

Country of usual residence

December

January - December

Tourist arrivals

% change 2018/17

Tourist arrivals

% change 2018/17

2016

2017

2018

2016

2017

2018

TOTAL

87.927

98.924

106.563

7,7

3.186.531

3.652.073

3.938.625

7,8

Austria

687

439

988

125,1

30.419

40.473

45.888

13,4

Belgium

1.135

651

616

-5,4

28.238

27.089

28.231

4,2

France

1.707

886

1.843

108,0

42.576

35.931

36.500

1,6

Germany

4.413

5.100

6.096

19,5

124.030

188.826

189.200

0,2

Denmark

154

180

133

-26,1

29.593

34.990

43.063

23,1

Switzerland (incl. Lichten.)

468

969

1.914

97,5

53.319

57.540

74.216

29,0

Greece

13.027

13.931

15.807

13,5

160.254

169.712

186.370

9,8

United Kingdom

26.120

28.218

32.065

13,6

1.157.978

1.253.839

1.327.805

5,9

Israel

7.243

10.048

9.324

-7,2

148.739

261.966

232.561

-11,2

Lebanon

1.948

1.920

1.935

0,8

50.361

58.273

62.255

6,8

Norway

496

567

751

32,5

47.037

54.342

55.273

1,7

Netherlands

669

498

912

83,1

29.450

37.585

42.217

12,3

Ukraine

1.417

2.004

1.839

-8,2

62.292

48.190

69.619

44,5

Poland

1.131

1.069

1.811

69,4

42.683

56.665

89.508

58,0

Russia

12.189

12.307

9.990

-18,8

781.634

824.494

783.631

-5,0

Sweden

915

827

940

13,7

115.019

136.725

153.769

12,5

Finland

234

49

136

177,6

18.463

20.962

26.507

26,5

Other

13.974

19.261

19.463

1,0

264.446

344.471

492.012

42,8

 

Table 2

 

 

 

Country of usual

residence of tourists

Percentage (%)

 

Dec 17

Jan –   Dec 17

Dec 18

Jan. –  Dec 18

 

United Kingdom

28,5

34,3

30,1

33,7

28,5

Greece

14,1

4,6

14,8

4,7

14,1

Russia

12,4

22,6

9,4

19,9

12,4

Israel

10,2

7,2

8,7

5,9

10,2

 

Germany

5,2

5,2

5,7

4,8

5,2

Lebanon

1,9

1,6

1,8

1,6

1,9

Switzerland

1,0

1,6

        1,8

         1,9

1,0

Other countries

26,7

22,9

27,6

27,5

 

               

 

 

Table 3

Purpose of visit

Percentage (%)

Dec 16

Dec 17

Dec 18

Holidays

51,7

51,4

51,1

Visiting friends & relatives

33,8

36,2

36,9

Business

14,5

12,4

11,9

 

METHODOLOGICAL NOTES

Definitions

Tourists: Visitors who stay for at least one night in Cyprus.

Tourist arrivals: The term refers to the number of trips and not to the number of persons. This differs in the sense that one person can take more than one trips during the reference period.

Source of data and coverage

The data are obtained from the Passengers Survey which is conducted in the arrivals and departures halls in the airports of Larnaka and Pafos, as well as from administrative sources such as the monthly arrivals at ports.

The survey covers all persons who pass through passport control at the ports and airports in the Government controlled area of Cyprus. It does not include travelers who arrive and depart illegally via ports and airports in the occupied part of Cyprus.

The weighting of data is conducted based on the data sent to the Statistical Service by the Civil Aviation Department and from the ship manifests, as well as data sent by the Analysis and Statistics Office of the Cyprus Police.

For more information:

Statistical Service (CYSTAT) Website, subtheme Tourism

Contact

Lucy Panayidou: Tel.:+35722602152, E-mail: lpanagidou@cystat.mof.gov.cy

(ML)