Tourist arrivals up by 208% compared to last year

Tourist arrivals increased by 208.7% in August 2021, compared to last August, when strict restrictive measures against Covid - 19 were implemented,.  But this was a decrease of 41.9% compared to pre-pandemic levels, of August 2019.

For the period January - August 2021, tourist arrivals increased by 126%, compared to the corresponding period of 2020, but decreased by 64.9%, compared to the corresponding period of 2019.

Specifically, According to the Statistical Service, tourist arrivals in August 2021 amounted to 321,858, showing an increase of 208.7% compared to August 2020 (during which 104,261 arrivals were recorded), as well as a decrease of 41.9% compared to in August 2019 (with 553,845 arrivals)

For the period January - August 2021, tourist arrivals amounted to 960,150 compared to 424,850 in the corresponding period of 2020, recording an increase of 126.0% and a decrease of 64.9% compared to the period January - August 2019 (2,735,839 arrivals ).

Arrivals from Russia, according to the Statistical Service, were the main source of tourism for August 2021, as they accounted for 27.2% (87,427) of total arrivals.

Arrivals from the United Kingdom accounted for 22.9% (73,683), arrivals from Poland 7.1% (22,893), arrivals from Ukraine 4.6% (14,863), arrivals from Greece in 3.9% (12,546) and arrivals from Germany 3.2% (10,284).

In August 2021, 87.7% of tourists traveled for personal holidays, 9.9% traveled to visit friends or relatives, and 2.3% for business.

In August 2020, 78.0% visited Cyprus for holidays, 17.9% visited friends or relatives and 4.1% traveled for business reasons, according to the Statistical Service.