Tourist arrivals in January- March drop by an annual 93%

Tourist arrivals for the period of January - March 2021 amounted to 246,556 recording a steep drop of 92.8% compared with the respective period of last year, as the COVID-19 pandemic and travel restrictions continue to affect the tourist sector.

According to data released by the Statistical Service of Cyprus (Cystat) in March of 2021 tourist arrivals amounted to 8,811, recording a reduction of 84.1% compared with March 2020 and 94.8% compared with March 2019 before the COVID-19 crisis emerged.

Arrivals from Greece were the main source of tourism for the month of March 2021, with a share of 32.2% of total arrivals, followed by France with 10.6% and Germany with 10.5%, Cystat added.

Furthermore, only 25.2% of tourists travelled to Cyprus for holidays, with 35.2% travelling to Cyprus to visit friends and relatives and for 39.4% for business.

In March 2020, 71.7% of tourists visited Cyprus for holidays, 14.7% visited friends or relatives and 13.5% visited Cyprus for business reasons, Cystat said.