Tourist arrivals increased by 5.7 per cent in July, Cyprus’ Statistical Service said this week, announcing also an important increase of 11.4 per cent in Cypriots’ trips abroad.

The figures showed an increase of 5.9 per cent in tourist arrivals in the first seven months of the year.

On the basis of the results of the Passengers Survey, tourist arrivals reached 381,955 in July 2014 compared to 361,442 in July 2013.

In particular, arrivals from Russia were up by 20.6 per cent (from 96,641 in July 2013 to 116,582 in July 2014) and arrivals from Israel increased by 63.5 per cent (from 6,307 to 10,311 this year).

However, tourist arrivals from the UK were down by 4.1 per cent (127,152 in July 2014 compared to 132,566 in July 2013), from Sweden by 4.3 per cent (17,446 compared to 18,221), from Norway by 13.7 per cent (11,029 compared to 12,787) and from Greece by 9.6 per cent (10,127 compared to 11,205 ).

For the period January – July 2014, arrivals of tourists totalled 1,361,794 compared to 1,285,577 in the corresponding period of 2013, increasing by 5.9 per cent.

On the basis of the results of the Passengers Survey, 129,602 residents of Cyprus returned from a trip abroad in July 2014 compared to 116,321 a year ago, up by 11.4 per cent.

In July there was an increase of 25.6 per cent on the trips of residents to Greece (from 44,757 in July 2013 to 56,195 in July 2014).

Source: CNA