Cypriot travel abroad rises by 7% in 2005

The number of Cypriot residents travelling abroad rose by 7% in 2005, according to Financial Mirror calculations, higher than the rise in the number of visitors arriving on the island, which rose by 5.2% in the same period.

The total number of trips abroad reached 913,816, compared with arrivals of 2.47 mln. Based on our inferences from monthly growth figures, the number of trips abroad in 2004 must have reached around 850,000.

Greece was the most popular destination, with a total of 390,308 trips to Greece, followed by the UK, with 127,727.

Russia and Syria were the next most popular destinations, with 39,740 abd 29,548 visits respectively.

Females (55%) travelled more than males (45%). The largest age group was 24-45 year-olds, who accounted for 46% of travellers, while 45-64 year-olds accounted for 28.7%.

Fiona Mullen