Tourism fall is slightly milder in January

The slide in the number of tourist arrivals in Cyprus was milder in January 2007, with a registered fall of 5.5% year on year, compared with a fall of 6.1% in December and 8.2% in November.

However, the persistence of the decline may explain why Cypriot hoteliers are so depressed that they see the advent of budget airlines as a bad development for the industry, rather than potentially the knight in shining armour that we have all been waiting for.

The number of tourism arrivals dropped by 2.8% in 2006 to 2,400,924, from 2,470,063 in 2005.

On the basis of the results of the Passengers Survey, arrivals of tourists reached 51,848 in January 2007 compared with 54,875 in January 2006.

The number of tourist arrivals from the United Kingdom, the biggest market, fell by 13.7% in January to 25,435, after a fall of 18.6% in December and 14.6% in November.

The UK arrivals has been hit by closure of ajet. Thus, the arrival of new suppliers in February-March such as Monarch may improve this market.

However, in a sign that all is still not well in the tourist sector, arrivals from Germany were also down in January, by 11% in January to 3,783.

On a more positive note, arrivals from Greece rose by 13.3% to 6,944.

 

Fiona Mullen