Travel abroad surges 16% in Nov.

The number of Cyprus residents traveling abroad surged 16.1% year-on-year in November to 53.130, reversing the declines recorded in August, September and October, the Department of Statistics reported.

Greece remained the top destination absorbing 20.352 travels in November for a 13.2% y/y increase, but travel to the UK increased by a whopping 93% to 8431, while increases were recorded to Russia, Israel and Egypt. The political instability and security concerns in Lebanon and Syria led to respective declines of 24.3% and 16.1%.

November also marked the second best monthly performance after July’s 31.4% rise and above the January 15% increase.

Another record

The November increase was the first after three successive monthly declines following the Helios Airways tragedy in mid-August, which forced Cypriots to cancel their travel plans abroad.

The total number of Cyprus residents traveling abroad during the first eleven months of the year reached 850.176, up 7.04% compared to 794.237 in the same period in 2004 and is a new record.

The rebound in travel during November also bodes well for the outlook in December but more importantly for the whole of 2006, which according to the head of the Cyprus Travel Agents Association, Akis Kelepeshis is forecast to continue higher.

Kelepeshis told the Financial Mirror that he expects the total number of packages to reach 500.000 in 2005 for a 5% increase, which is most likely to continue higher by 4-5% also in 2006.

Greece most popular

Greece remains the most popular destination, absorbing 42% or 360.292 travel out of a total 850.176 in the first eleven months ending November, followed by the UK, with a 13.6% share at 115.647. Russia follows behind with a 4.4% share of the total or 37.656 trips, Syria 3.3% or 28.346, Lebanon 3% or 25.776, Israel 2% or 16.850 and Egypt 1.8% or 15.764 trips.

The majority of the travel abroad or 59.5% was for pleasure, while 32% went abroad for business and only 5% for studies. Of the total number of travel abroad in November, 50.9% were women and 49.1% men.