An influx of tourists from new markets Poland and Ukraine helped Cyprus set another benchmark as arrivals for August were the highest on record paving the way for its best year ever, official data showed on Monday.
The 534,000 arrivals in August 2018 comes after July registered the most tourists ever in a single month with 540,000 visitors.
Despite a 0.9 percent dip from largest market Britain and a 5.2% drop from second largest market Russia, Cyprus managed to register its best arrival figures for August and for the first eight months of the year, official data showed on Monday.
Arrivals of tourists to Cyprus in August increased 2.1 percent compared to the same month last year.
It was the 38th consecutive increase in tourist arrivals since July 2015.
The state-funded Cyprus Tourism Organisation said all the indications show that another “excellent year on an upward trend” is on the cards.
Official projections estimate that arrivals will increase at around five percent on last year’s record number.
Tourist arrivals reached 534,847 in August compared to 523,651 a year ago, according to official figures.
“August 2018 had the highest volume of tourist arrivals ever recorded in Cyprus for the specific month,” said the Cyprus statistical service.
For the first eight months, January to August, arrivals of tourists increased 8 percent to 2.71 million from 2.51 million in 2017.
“This also outnumbers the total of arrivals ever recorded in Cyprus during the first eight months of the year,” said Cystat.
In August, there was a decrease in tourists from Israel (20.7 percent) – now the third largest source of tourists to Cyprus – and a 9.4 percent decline from Germany.
The UK constituted the main source of tourism for Cyprus in August, with a 34.4 percent share (184,228) followed by Russia with 21.2 percent (113,599) and Israel third with 7.8 percent (41,965).
There were also increases from emerging tourist markets such as Poland with 11,332 (up 32.7 percent) and Ukraine with 9,717 (+68.7 percent).
Industry officials argue that arrivals from Russia are down due to currency fluctuations of the rouble and the renewed popularity of Turkey – a destination made more attractive by a weak Turkish lira.
The eastern Mediterranean island has benefited from its reputation as a regional safe haven as unrest has hit the tourism sectors of its traditional competitors Egypt, Tunisia and Turkey.
The tourism boom has helped Cyprus return to growth following a €10-billion bailout to rescue its crumbling economy and insolvent banks in March 2013.
Income from tourism now accounts for about 15% of the country’s gross domestic product and is credited with underpinning a quick recovery.
A record 3.65 million tourists enjoyed a Cyprus holiday last year, spending an unprecedented EUR 2.6 bln.
