Αrrivals of tourists reached 124.192 in November 2016 compared to 108.093 in November 2015, recording an increase of 14.9%.on the basis of the results of the Passengers Survey, announced by the Statistical Service of Cyprus.

Tourist arrivals for the period of January – November 2016 totaled 3.098.604 compared to 2.581.057 in the corresponding period of 2015, recording an increase of 20.1% and outnumbering the total arrivals ever recorded in Cyprus during the first eleven months of the year.

Tourist arrivals from the United Kingdom increased by 3.4% in November 2016 compared to November 2015 while an increase of 51.9% was recorded for tourists from Greece. Increases were also recorded from other important tourist markets, such as Germany (51.9%), Israel (112.7%) and Poland (13.0%). Contrary to that, a decrease of 0.6% 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.

The United Kingdom and Russia constitute the main sources of tourism for Cyprus, with proportions of 34.9% and 14.2% respectively, while arrivals from Greece comprise 11.7% and from Germany 10.4% of total arrivals (Table 2).

For a percentage of 68.2% of tourists, the purpose of their trip was holidays, for 15,2% visit to friends and relatives and for 16,4% business (Table 3).

Men comprise 53,8% of tourists and women 46,2%, whilst most of the tourists belonged to the age group of 20-44 years (Table 3).

Table 1
Country of usual residence November January – November
Tourist arrivals % change 2016/15 Tourist arrivals % change 2016/15
2014 2015 2016 2014 2015 2016
TOTAL 81.437 108.093 124.192 14,9 2.384.375 2.581.057 3.098.604 20,1
Austria 1.391 1.825 1.867 2,3 23.160 31.408 29.732 -5,3
Belgium 1.007 1.414 1.078 -23,8 25.208 21.432 27.103 26,5
France 1.312 1.987 1.988 0,1 27.197 35.145 40.869 16,3
Germany 9.303 8.499 12.908 51,9 83.988 108.489 119.617 10,3
Denmark 119 120 112 -6,7 30.480 25.144 29.439 17,1
Switzerland (incl. Lichten.) 1.307 1.529 1.663 8,8 48.465 46.075 52.851 14,7
Greece 7.534 9.534 14.479 51,9 92.692 128.140 147.227 14,9
United Kingdom 28.859 41.856 43.296 3,4 853.528 1.015.352 1.131.858 11,5
Israel 3.713 3.387 7.204 112,7 65.503 94.114 141.496 50,3
Lebanon 1.834 1.406 1.901 35,2 31.529 35.146 48.413 37,7
Norway 1.265 1.170 1.126 -3,8 56.106 46.192 46.541 0,8
Netherlands 1.089 655 859 31,1 21.736 29.022 28.781 -0,8
Ukraine 1.553 2.028 1.615 -20,4 39.821 48.895 60.875 24,5
Poland 1.318 2.344 2.648 13,0 28.037 41.659 41.552 -0,3
Russia 8.728 17.740 17.637 -0,6 631.809 516.661 769.445 48,9
Sweden 1.507 832 1.231 48,0 105.690 107.732 114.104 5,9
Finland 142 126 119 -5,6 23.843 19.291 18.229 -5,5
Other 9.456 11.641 12.461 7,0 195.583 231.160 250.472 8,4

Table 2
Country of usual
residence of tourists Percentage (%)
Nov. 15 Jan – Nov. 15 Nov. 16 Jan. – Nov. 16
United Kingdom 38,7 39,3 34,9 36,5
Russia 16,4 20,0 14,2 24,8
Greece 8,8 5,0 11,7 4,8
Germany 7,9 4,2 10,4 3,9
Israel 3,1 3,6 5,8 4,6
Poland 2,2 1,6 2,1 1,3
France 1,8 1,4 1,6 1,3
Other countries 21,1 24,9 19,3 22,8

Table 3
Purpose and characteristics of tourists Percentage (%)
Nov. 14 Nov. 15 Nov. 16
Purpose
Holidays 68,4 71,1 68,2
Visiting friends & relatives 15,6 14,7 15,2
Business 15,7 13,9 16,4

Sex*
Males 50,1 46,8 53,8
Females 49,9 53,2 46,2

Age*
<20 6,8 4,9 6,7 20-44 41,7 45,6 44,4 45-64 34,9 36,1 38,9 65+ 16,2 13,1 9,7 Not stated 0,3 0,3 0,3 * Provisional data for November 2016 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 travellers who arrive and depart illegally via ports and airports in the occupied part of Cyprus.