Tourism in Cyprus


Tourism in Cyprus is a cornerstone of the country's economy, and has significantly impacted its culture and multicultural development throughout the years. In 2006, the tourism industry made up 10.7% of the country's GDP and the total employment in the tourism industry was estimated at 113,000 jobs. Cyprus welcomes at least around 4
million tourists on average each year,making it the 40th most popular destination in the world and the 6th most popular per capita of local population. Cyprus has been a full member of the World Tourism Organization since 1975.

History

Varosha was once one of the most popular destinations in the world, once frequented by Hollywood stars, such as Elizabeth Taylor, until the Turkish Invasion of Cyprus in 1974. It is now abandoned and the majority of it is guarded by armed troops.

Tourism Statistics



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YearTourist Arrivals
1976172,092
1980348,530
1981423,553
1982530,600
1983599,796
1984665,882
1985769,727
1986827,937
1987948,551
19881,111,818
19891,377,636
19901,561,479
19911,385,129
19921,991,000
19931,841,000
19942,069,000
19952,100,000
19961,950,000
19972,088,000
19982,222,706
19992,434,285
20002,686,205
20012,696,732
20022,418,238
20032,303,247
20042,349,012
20052,470,063
20062,400,924
20072,416,081
20082,403,750
20092,141,193
20102,172,998
20112,392,228
20122,464,908
20132,405,390
20142,441,239
20152,659,405
20163,186,531
20173,652,073
20183,938,625
20193,976,777
2020631,609
20211,936,931
20223,201,080
20233,845,652
20244,040,200

Arrivals by country

Cyprus's popularity, with around 4
million tourists arrivals per year, is attributed to a number of factors. These include the fact that English is widely spoken, its history of British colonialism, and the presence of British military bases at Akrotiri and Dhekelia. The downturn in the British economy in the late 2000s was reflected in a decrease in British tourist arrivals, highlighting the Cyprus tourist industry's over-reliance on a single market.
By 2009, efforts were underway to stimulate tourism from countries other than the UK. In line with geopolitical developments, Russian tourists became the second largest group in terms of arrivals; this began in the late 2000s and rapidly increased until the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The total number of tourists in Cyprus for the 2018 season was 3.93 million. Most visitors arriving on a short-term basis were from the following countries:
RankCountry201620172018
1United Kingdomincreaseincrease

Competitiveness

Studies

In 2011, according to the World Economic Forum's Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report, Cyprus' tourism industry ranked 29th in the world, in terms of overall competitiveness, but secured first place for tourism infrastructure. With some of the most popular and cleanest beaches in Europe, much of the island relies on the "sun, sea, and sand" mantra to attract tourists. This is reflected in the seasonal distribution of tourist arrivals, with a particularly significant increase during the summer months. Resorts in the island's east and southeast, such as Ayia Napa and Protaras, depend almost entirely on tourism and receive the vast majority of their visitors from March to November; tourist destinations in the west and southwest, such as Limassol and Paphos, benefit from more diversified economies, allowing them to sustain tourism even during the much colder winter months.

Investment

A World Travel and Tourism Council, noted that total investment in Cyprus' tourism industry in 2015 was €273.7 million - 14% of the island's overall investment - with projected increases of 5.3% in 2016 and 2.9% annually, over the following decade, reaching €384.6 million in 2026. However, the WTTC’s latest 2023 Economic Impact Research for Cyprus reports that capital investment in travel and tourism reached approximately €3.20 billion in 2022, with forecasts extending through 2033.

Blue Flag beaches

According to a 2020 report by KPMG, Cyprus boasts the highest concentration of Blue Flag beaches in the world - most of which are located in the east - ranking first globally in Blue Flag beaches per kilometre of coastline and per capita.

Languages

English serves as the island's primary bridge language, not only due to Cyprus's history as a British colony until 1960 but also because of its strong reliance on tourism, with British visitors consistently making up the largest share of annual arrivals. Russian was also widely used in the tourist sector until the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine led to a sharp decline in Russian tourist, then the island's second largest group of yearly visitors. Greek and Turkish remain the main languages spoken by the native Greek-Cypriot and Turkish-Cypriot communities.

Education

A 2012 Eurostat report revealed that Cyprus is the second most educated country in Europe after Ireland, with 49.9% of its residents holding university degrees. In 2013, Cyprus ranked fourth among EU countries in public spending on education, allocating 6.5% of its GDP, well above the EU average of 5%.

The Cyprus Tourism Organisation (CTO)

The Cyprus Tourism Organisation, known as KOT in Greek, functioned as a semi-governmental authority, tasked with overseeing tourism standards and marketing the island internationally. In 2007, the CTO reportedly spent €20 million on international promotional efforts. In 2019, the CTO was replaced by the newly established Deputy Ministry of Tourism, a government body that inherited the CTO's assets and functions.