Tourist arrivals in Cyprus surged in December 2023, reaching 123,630, marking a 12.3% increase compared to the same period in 2022, which recorded 110,041 arrivals.
For the broader period spanning January to December 2023, tourist arrivals experienced a growth of 20.1%, totalling 3,845,652, as opposed to the 3,201,080 arrivals during the corresponding period in 2022.
December 2023 witnessed the United Kingdom emerging as the primary contributor to tourism, constituting 23.4% of the total arrivals, followed by Poland at 11.5% and Greece at 10.3%.
The purposes of travel in December 2023 varied, with 58.4% of tourists visiting for leisure, 30.4% for social visits to friends or relatives, and 11.0% for business reasons. In contrast, December 2022 saw 61.9% of visitors coming to Cyprus for holidays, 27.4% for social visits, and 10.4% for business purposes.
On the flip side, Cypriot residents embarked on more international journeys in December 2023, totalling 153,736 trips, reflecting a notable 9.8% increase from the 139,981 recorded in December 2022.
Top destinations for returning Cypriot residents in December 2023 included Greece (30.2%), the United Kingdom (15.3%), and Poland (4.6%).
The primary purpose of travel for Cypriot residents in December 2023 was leisure, accounting for 62.5%, while 16.3% travelled for business, 20.5% for educational purposes, and 0.8% for various other reasons.