The decline in tourist arrivals for 2002 stood at 10.3%, despite the moderate rise by 3.9% in December.

According to preliminary data from CYSTAT, tourist arrivals for December 2002 reached 77.822 against 74.887 in the corresponding month of 2001, whilst total arrivals for the full year 2002 stood at 2,418,237 against 2,696,732 in 2001 (-10.3%).

Note that revenues for September 2002 slumped 10.74% to CYP 157,365,272 against CYP 176,300,401 in the corresponding month of 2001, while total revenues for the period January-September 2002 were 13.74% down to CYP 917,290,682 against CYP 1,063,371,989 in the same period of 2001.

Meanwhile, despite the promising estimates of the Commerce Ministry for 2003, the labour relations between employers and hotel employees deteriorate, affecting Cyprus tourist industry and its future for the current year.

Specifically, the members of the Pancyprian Association of Hotel Owners intend to go on strike ahead of the rejection of the Labour Ministry’s conciliatory proposal and hotel employees have already given a 10-days notice before they take the proper measures, in accordance with the Code of Industrial Relations. The Commerce Ministry has attempted to justify this attitude, since the rejection of the conciliatory proposal has brought about the end of negotiations. It is worth mentioning that hotel employees trade unions have also raised the issues of the renewal of union contracts and the employment of foreigners in hotels, demanding the revocation of their work permits.