The number of tourists arriving in Cyprus reached 101,481 in February 2018 compared to 82,209 in February 2017, recording an increase of 23.4%, on the basis of the results of the Passengers Survey, published on Monday by the Statistical Service of Cyprus.
February 2018 had the highest volume of tourist arrivals ever recorded in Cyprus during the specific month.
For the period of January – February 2018 arrivals of tourists totalled 177,348 compared to 144,820 in the corresponding period of 2017, recording an increase of 22.5% and outnumbering the total arrivals ever recorded in Cyprus during the first two months of the year (Table 1).
Commenting on February’s arrivals, the Cyprus Tourism Organization (CTO) underlines that, in addition to the extraordinary performance of February 2018, tourist arrivals hit record in all previous months, since March 2017.
The total arrivals of tourists for the period March 2017 – February 2018, added, reached 3,684,601.
These data, the CTO adds, “show the serious work done in the field of tourism which continues to have a leading role in the growth of Cyprus economy”.
Analysis of changes
Tourist arrivals from the United Kingdom increased by 29.5% in February 2018 compared to February 2017 while an increase of 11.3% was recorded for tourists from Greece. Increases were also recorded from other important tourist markets, such as Israel (63.8%) and Germany (86.7%). Contrary to that, a decrease of 17.0% in tourist arrivals from Russia was 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 February 2018, with a proportion of 35.1% while arrivals from Greece comprise 11.9% of total arrivals, from Russia 11.8% and from Israel 9.0% (Table 2).
Characteristics of tourists
For a percentage of 62.6% of tourists, the purpose of their trip in February 2018 was holidays, for 20.1% visit to friends and relatives and for 17.2% business (Table 3).
Men comprise 48.3% of tourists and women 51.7%, whilst most of the tourists belonged to the age group of 20-44 years (Table 3).
| Table 1 | ||||||||
| Country of usual residence | February | January – February | ||||||
| Tourist arrivals | % change 2018/17 | Tourist arrivals | % change 2018/17 | |||||
| 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | |||
| TOTAL | 65.988 | 82.209 | 101.481 | 23,4 | 114.596 | 144.820 | 177.348 | 22,5 |
| Austria | 806 | 658 | 752 | 14,3 | 1.140 | 999 | 1.090 | 9,1 |
| Belgium | 1.279 | 1.002 | 760 | -24,2 | 2.003 | 1.529 | 1.242 | -18,8 |
| France | 1.317 | 1.893 | 1.104 | -41,7 | 1.936 | 2.920 | 2.291 | -21,5 |
| Germany | 3.281 | 3.115 | 5.815 | 86,7 | 5.407 | 5.321 | 8.246 | 55,0 |
| Denmark | 248 | 262 | 96 | -63,4 | 321 | 490 | 376 | -23,3 |
| Switzerland (incl. Lichten.) | 630 | 613 | 1.130 | 84,3 | 1.015 | 890 | 1.685 | 89,3 |
| Greece | 8.755 | 10.828 | 12.053 | 11,3 | 15.859 | 19.287 | 23.489 | 21,8 |
| United Kingdom | 22.175 | 27.528 | 35.660 | 29,5 | 36.727 | 44.932 | 55.605 | 23,8 |
| Israel | 4.052 | 5.595 | 9.162 | 63,8 | 7.426 | 10.836 | 17.402 | 60,6 |
| Lebanon | 1.529 | 1.227 | 1.777 | 44,8 | 2.803 | 2.302 | 3.516 | 52,7 |
| Norway | 793 | 887 | 1.121 | 26,4 | 1.122 | 1.152 | 1.472 | 27,8 |
| Netherlands | 445 | 486 | 869 | 78,8 | 717 | 785 | 1.252 | 59,5 |
| Ukraine | 1.494 | 1.167 | 1.456 | 24,8 | 2.973 | 2.297 | 3.143 | 36,8 |
| Poland | 1.806 | 1.115 | 2.352 | 110,9 | 3.556 | 2.177 | 4.234 | 94,5 |
| Russia | 7.358 | 14.441 | 11.982 | -17,0 | 12.662 | 28.118 | 22.814 | -18,9 |
| Sweden | 360 | 483 | 1.140 | 136,0 | 610 | 861 | 1.532 | 77,9 |
| Finland | 163 | 167 | 198 | 18,6 | 267 | 239 | 262 | 9,6 |
| Other | 9.497 | 10.742 | 14.054 | 30,8 | 18.052 | 19.685 | 27.697 | 40,7 |
| Table 2 | |||||||
| Country of usual residence of tourists |
Percentage (%) | ||||||
| Feb. 17 | Jan – Feb. 17 | Feb. 18 | Jan. – Feb. 18 | ||||
| United Kingdom | 33,5 | 31,0 | 35,1 | 31,4 | 37,5 | ||
| Greece | 13,2 | 13,3 | 11,9 | 13,2 | 22,8 | ||
| Russia | 17,6 | 19,4 | 11,8 | 12,9 | 5,1 | ||
| Israel | 6,8 | 7,5 | 9,0 | 9,8 | |||
| Germany | 3,8 | 3,7 | 5,7 | 4,6 | 3,9 | ||
| Poland | 1,4 | 1,5 | 2,3 | 2,4 | 4,3 | ||
| Lebanon | 1,5 | 1,6 | 1,8 | 2,0 | 2,8 | ||
| Other countries | 22,3 | 22,0 | 22,3 | 23,7 | |||
| Table 3 | ||||
| Purpose and characteristics of tourists | Percentage (%) | |||
| Feb. 16 | Feb. 17 | Feb. 18 | ||
| Purpose | ||||
| Holidays | 53,4 | 57,1 | 62,6 | |
| Visiting friends & relatives | 23,8 | 23,1 | 20,1 | |
| Business | 22,7 | 19,6 | 17,2 | |
| Sex* | ||||
| Males | 53,1 | 51,0 | 48,3 | |
| Females | 46,9 | 49,0 | 51,7 | |
| Age* | ||||
| <20 | 5,4 | 7,3 | 7,5 | |
| 20-44 | 47,3 | 51,3 | 47,6 | |
| 45-64 | 35,0 | 33,2 | 29,9 | |
| 65+ | 12,0 | 7,8 | 14,2 | |
| Not stated | 0,4 | 0,4 | 0,8 | |
| * Provisional data for February 2018. | ||||
