Cookies management by TermsFeed Cookie Consent
Recent News

Press Releases

19-08-2019 14:45

2,1% increase in tourist arrivals in July 2019

On the basis of the results of the Passengers Survey, arrivals of tourists reached 550.971 in July 2019 compared to 539.626 in July 2018, recording an increase of 2,1%. July 2019 had the highest volume of tourist arrivals ever recorded in Cyprus during the specific month.

For the period of January – July 2019 arrivals of tourists totaled 2.181.994 compared to 2.184.775 in the corresponding period of 2018, recording a decrease of 0,1% (Table 1).

Analysis of changes

Tourist arrivals from the United Kingdom increased by 5,4% in July 2019 compared to July 2018 and an increase of 42,0% was recorded for tourists from Israel. A decrease of 4,8% in tourist arrivals from Russia and 9,3% from Sweden 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 July 2019, with a proportion of 33,4% while arrivals from Russia comprise 21,0% of total arrivals, from Israel 8,5% and from Sweden 4,3% (Table 2).                                                                      

Purpose of visit

For a percentage of 87,0% of tourists, the purpose of their trip in July 2019 was holidays, for 10,4% visit to friends and relatives and for 2,6% business (Table 3). 

Table1

   

Country of usual residence

July

January - July

Tourist arrivals

% change 2019/18

Tourist arrivals

% change 2019/18

2017

2018

2019

2017

2018

2019

TOTAL

531.030

539.626

550.971

2,1

1.994.236

2.184.775

2.181.994

-0,1

Austria

6.209

4.852

5.445

12,2

22.089

21.720

22.241

2,4

Belgium

4.896

4.488

4.128

-8,0

15.472

16.809

13.991

-16,8

France

4.716

4.189

4.056

-3,2

20.985

19.690

16.820

-14,6

Germany

19.759

16.888

13.452

-20,3

97.512

101.673

82.780

-18,6

Denmark

7.195

9.629

8.191

-14,9

20.132

24.280

21.975

-9,5

Switzerland (incl. Lichten.)

9.165

11.944

10.378

-13,1

29.515

39.042

34.825

-10,8

Greece

15.513

13.476

11.981

-11,1

97.426

108.182

99.490

-8,0

United Kingdom

176.880

174.904

184.276

5,4

688.224

735.744

747.272

1,6

Israel

42.505

33.063

46.953

42,0

133.652

126.510

151.128

19,5

Lebanon

10.608

12.296

11.221

-8,7

28.994

33.941

29.337

-13,6

Norway

12.320

11.968

13.277

10,9

30.975

32.749

36.753

12,2

Netherlands

4.912

5.691

6.573

15,5

19.873

22.099

23.673

7,1

Ukraine

6.801

8.969

11.185

24,7

26.029

37.095

49.486

33,4

Poland

7.777

10.523

8.729

-17,0

31.417

49.766

42.490

-14,6

Russia

129.119

121.441

115.589

-4,8

462.101

438.829

418.991

-4,5

Sweden

22.621

26.003

23.585

-9,3

74.763

89.041

83.508

-6,2

Finland

3.373

3.298

3.524

6,9

10.983

14.580

14.091

-3,4

Other

46.661

66.004

68.428

3,7

184.094

273.025

293.143

7,4

 

Table 2

 

 

 

Country of usual

residence of tourists

Percentage (%)

 

Jul18

Jan –  Jul  18

Jul 19

Jan. – Jul   19

 

United Kingdom

32,4

33,7

33,4

34,2

32,4

Russia

22,5

20,1

21,0

19,2

22,5

Israel

6,1

5,8

8,5

6,9

6,1

Sweden

4,8

4,1

4,3

3,8

4,8

 

Germany

3,1

4,7

2,4

3,8

3,1

Norway

2,2

1,5

2,4

1,7

2,2

Greece

2,5

5,0

        2,2

         4,6

2,5

Other countries

26,3

25,3

25,7

25,8

 

               

 

Table 3

Purpose of visit

Percentage (%)

Jul 17

Jul 18

Jul19

Holidays

88,0

87,7

87,0

Visiting friends & relatives

9,7

9,8

10,4

Business

2,3

2,5

2,6

 
         

 

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 trip 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, visit theStatistical Service (CYSTAT) website, subtheme Tourism or contact Ms Lucy Panayidou: tel.:+35722602152, e-mail: lpanagidou@cystat.mof.gov.cy

 (EK/SCH)