Tourism in Cyprus

Protaras beach in summer

Petra tou Romiou ("Rock of the Greek"), where according to Hesiod's Theogony the goddess Aphrodite emerged from the sea.

Tourism in Cyprus occupies a dominant position in the economy.^[1][2] Moreover, it significantly impacts Cyprus culture and its multinational/multicultural development throughout the decades.^[3][4] In 2006, the tourism industry contributed 10.7% of the GDP which in real terms it generated a total of US$5,445.0 mn. In the same year, the total employment was estimated at 113,000 jobs. With almost 3 million tourist arrivals per year, it is the 40th most popular destination in the world.^[5][6] However, per capita of local population it ranks 6th.^[7] Cyprus is a full member of the World Tourism Organisation since 1975.^[8]

Avakas Gorge in Akamas

Topographic map of Cyprus. Troodos Mountains

The sandy beaches are often used as habitats for green turtles

Arrivals by country

The Rock of the Greek (background), with the Saracen Rock in the foreground

Europe represents the lion's share of tourist arrivals. Over 80% of visitors come from Northern, Western and Eastern Europe, while British tourists remain the most traditional. Several factors contribute to this, including widely spoken English as well as the traditional links from 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 drop in tourist arrivals highlighting the over-reliance of Cyprus' tourist industry on one customer. In 2009 efforts were underway to boost arrivals from other countries.^[9] Notably, and inline with the latest geopolitical developments, the second largest segment is Russian tourists - a segment expected to increase even further.^[10][11][12]

Top 10 holiday or package tour arrivals to Cyprus ranked by nationality in 2015:^[13]

Ayia Thekla beach

Rank	Country	Number
1	United Kingdom	1,041,208
2	Russia	524,853
3	Greece	139,539
4	Germany	112,219
5	Sweden	108,605
6	Israel	98,597
7	Ukraine	50,644
8	Norway	46,650
9	Switzerland	46,602
10	Poland	43,380

Competitiveness

According to the World Economic Forum's 2013 Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report, Cyprus' tourism industry ranks 29th in the world in terms of overall competitiveness. In terms of Tourism Infrastructure, in relation to the tourism industry Cyprus ranks 1st in the world.^[14] With some of the most popular^[15] and cleanest beaches in Europe,^[16] much of the tourist industry relies on "sea sun and sand" to attract tourists.^[17] This reflects in the seasonal distribution of tourist arrivals with a disproportionate number arriving during the summer months. Whereas most eastern resorts like Protaras and Ayia Napa lie dormant in the winter months the west of the island remains open to tourism with the promotion of Cypriot history culture, art and specialized sports such as golf and tennis has a wider distribution.

Investment

The World Travel and Tourism Council 2016 report on the island outlines that the total investment in the Travel & Tourism industry in 2015 was EUR273.7mn, or 14.0% of the total investments. It projects a rise by 5.3% in 2016 and 2.9% pa over the next ten years to EUR384.6mn in 2026.^[18]

Blue Flags

According to the latest KPMG report, Cyprus has the most dense concentration of Blue Flag beaches, the most Blue Flag beaches per coastline and the most Blue Flags per capita in the world.^[19]

Safety & Security

In a 2015 global survey based on data on population, CO2 Emissions, Police personnel, traffic deaths, thefts, assaults and life expectancy the island state ranked as the 5th safest country in the world.^[20]

Language & Service

English is the universal language since the island has an international outlook.^[21] French and German are also well spoken within the tourist industry.^[22] Greek and Turkish remain the main languages spoken by the Greek-Cypriot and Turkish-Cypriot communities respectively.

Personnel & Education

In 2012, Eurostat reported that Cyprus is the most educated country in Europe after Ireland since 49.9% of Cyprus’s residents have degrees.^[23] In 2013, only three other EU Member States invested more public funds in education than Cyprus, as measured by the share of GDP (6.5% compared to a 5.0% EU average).^[24]

The Cyprus Tourism Organization (CTO)

The CTO has a status of a semi-governmental organisation charged with overseeing the industry practices and promoting the island as a tourism destination abroad. In 2007 the CTO spent a reported €20 million on promotion.^[25]

See also

• Cyprus Museum
• Petra tou Romiou
• Climate of Cyprus
• Cypriot wine
• History of Cyprus
• Economy of Cyprus
• Tombs of the Kings

References

External links

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Cyprus.

• Cyprus travel and tourism at DMOZ