Tourism arrivals up 0.7% in July

Tourism arrivals increased by 0.7% YoY to 341.443 in July 2006 compared to 338.972 in July 2005, the Statistics Service reported. In July 2006 there was an increase of 0,8% of tourist arrivals from the United Kingdom (from 192.792 in July 2005 to 194.385 in July 2006). In addition there was an increase of 25,9% from Norway (from 7.867 in July 2005 to 9.906 in July 2006) and 25,1% increase from Sweden (from 10.980 in July 2005 to 13.731 this year ) as well as a 10,5% rise from Russia in July. However a significant decrease of 24,1% was recorded in tourist arrivals from France (5.901 in July 2006 compared to 7.778 in July 2005) and a decrease of 10,1% from Germany ( from 13.404 in July 2006 to 14.912 in July 2005).

For the period January – July 2006 arrivals of tourists totalled 1.339.768 compared to 1.357.890 in the corresponding period of 2005, recording a decrease of 1,3%.