May tourist arrivals spike 33%

The arrivals of tourists reached 420,076 in May from 315,018 last year, recording an increase of 33.3%, according to the Cyprus Statistical Service.

Holidaymakers from the United Kingdom were the main source of tourism for May, with a share of 36.6% (153,797) of total arrivals, followed by Israel with 8.9% (37,442), Poland with 7.3% (30,835), Germany with 6.2% (25,916) and Sweden with 5.2% (21,837).

Tourist arrivals this year have increased every month from January onwards, compared to the same months in 2022.

For the five months of January – May, arrivals of tourists totalled 1.15 million from 849,058 in the same period last year, recording an increase of 36.2%.

Some 82.1% said the purpose of their trip in May was holidays, 11.3% visited friends and relatives and 6,5% business.

In May 2022, 79.5% visited Cyprus for holidays, 12.5% for friends or relatives, and 7.9% for business reasons (Table 1).

Fewer Cypriots travelled abroad

Moreover, 126,583 residents of Cyprus returned from a trip abroad in May compared to 135,661 in the same month last year, recording a decrease of 6.7%.

The main countries from which residents returned were Greece, with a share of 31.4% (39,738), the UK, with 10.1% (12,739), Italy, with 5.6% (7,098) and Germany, with 4% (5,095).

The purpose of travel for residents was mainly holidays, with 64.8%, while 28.5% of Cypriot residents travelled abroad for business reasons, 3.6% for studies and other reasons 3.1%.