According to CYSTAT data released on Monday, tourist arrivals in 2008 fell 0.5%.

In January – December 2008, tourist arrivals stood at 2,403,750 compared to 2,416,081 in 2007. Tourist arrivals in 2007 had recorded an increase of 0.6% compared to 2006, when they had dropped 2.8% compared to 2005.

On the basis of the results of the Passengers Survey, arrivals of tourists reached 72.127 in December 2008 compared to 73.742 in December 2007, recording a decrease of 2,2%. A decrease of 6,9% was recorded in tourist arrivals from the United Kingdom ( 29.653 in December 2008 compare to 31.862 in December 2007) and 1,8% decrease from Greece (11.031 compare to 11.237 last year). On the other hand an increase of 9,5% was recorded in tourist arrivals from Germany (from 5.981 in December 2007 to 6.551 in December 2008), and 15,8% increase from Russia (from 3.103 to 3.592 this year).