Cyprus conference tourism events record increase in 2010

The number of conference tourism events and participants for 2010 has been increased according to the results of the “conferences and incentives survey” conducted for the fifth consecutive year by the Cyprus Tourism Organisation.

An announcement issued today by CTO said that the survey results showed that the total number of conference tourism events held in 2010 reached 430 while the number of the participants reached 43.683.

It is added that the statistical data show a big increase compared to 2009, during which the number of events reached 221 and 22.876 participants.

The majority of the events that took place are by far Conferences (any type), with a percentage score of 61%, whereas Incentives count for only 39%.

Limassol is the city that is mostly preferred for Conferences and Incentives tourism (47%). Limassol is also on the lead for both conferences (43%), and incentives (51%).

The majority of the participants were from Europe in at least six out of ten of the conferences (60%). Incentives were the leading type in the Conferences and Incentives market in Cyprus (38%).

On the other hand, Governmental conferences count for only 8%.

As far as the number of participants is concerned, Academic conferences ranked first with 28%.

Four out of ten of the events, which took place in Cyprus during 2010 had up to 50 participants (38%), and only 6% of the events had 251+ participants.

Most Conferences and Incentives took place in March, May, October and November (13% respectively). Furthermore, the majority of Conferences took place in November (16%), and the majority of the Incentives took place in March (17%).

The average number of participants in each event in Cyprus during 2010 is 102.

The average length of stay for Conferences and Incentives is 4 days.

Nearly six out of ten of the events had an estimated budget of up to 25,000 euro (26% up to 10,000 euro, 28% up to 10,001 -25,000 euro).