Cypriots flock to UK, Greece

Avoid Lebanon, Israel

 

Figures from the Passengers’ Survey show that there was a sharp rise in the number of Cypriots travelling abroad in September, with the number of residents returning from a trip abroad reaching 84,429, a rise of 12.5% on the 75.066 who travelled abroad in September 2005.

The Statistical Service reported that there was an increase of 18.5% in the number of trips by residents to Greece to 34,089, up from 28,771 in September 2005.

There was a much higher increase 51.6% in trips to the UK (from 10,703 in September 2005 to 16,225 in September 2006).

Russia was also a strong market, with an increase of 18.7% in trips to Russia increase (from 4,545 to 5,393).

No doubt because of the recent conflict, there was a significant decrease by 70.4% in the number of residents travelling to Lebanon (709 in September 2006 compared to 2,398 in September 2005). There was a 68.6% decrease to Syria (833 compared to 2,651 in September 2005) and a 38.6% decrease to Israel (833 compared to 1,357 last September.

 

Tourism revenue up

 

Meanwhile, separate figures show that there was a 2.2% increase in revenue from tourism in September, to CYP 140.9 mln, compared with CYP 137.9 mln in September 2005.

For the period January-September 2006 revenue from tourism is estimated at CYP  838.1 mln compared to CYP 811.8 mln in the corresponding period of 2005, recording an increase of 3.2%.