The Department of Statistics and Research announces that in December 1998 arrivals of travellers, including excursionists, reached 120.383 recording a decrease of 4,7% compared to the corresponding month last year, while departures reached 107.292 recording a decrease of 3,2% compared to December 1997.

The majority of travellers, excluding excursionists, arrived in December 1998 on flights or ships which had as country of origin European countries 86,3% and European Union countries in particular 73,9%. Looking at individual countries, the United Kingdom is as always leading the list with 37,4% of travellers arrivals followed by Greece with 19,6%, Germany with 7,6%, Israel with 4,7%, Russia with 3,5%, Switzerland with 2,7% and Egypt with 2,5%.

The number of excursionists (transit at ports and cruise-ship visitors) in December 1998 reached 2.915 compared to 5.060 in December 1997.

Arrivals of tourists reached 82.716 in December 1998 compared to 83.732 in the corresponding month last year, recording a decrease of 1,2%. For the period January-December 1998, arrivals of tourists reached 2.222.706 compared to 2.088.000 in the corresponding period last year, recording an increase of 6,5%.

The mean age of tourists arriving in Cyprus in December 1998 was 41,8 years. Of these 49,3% were males and 50,7% were females. Analysis by country of usual residence shows that 77,9% were residents of the European Union. The main countries are in order of importance the United Kingdom with 45,7%, Germany with 10,9%, Greece with 9,0%, Russia with 3,9%, Belgium and Luxembourg with 2,2% and Israel with 2,1%.

During December 1998 the majority of tourists 76,0% stated that they intended to stay in hotels or similar establishments, 20,4% with relatives and friends and 3,6% elsewhere.

For those tourists stating duration of stay less than one month, the mean intended duration of stay was 8,5 nights; for those stating less than one year the mean intended duration of stay was 9,7 nights. The mean intended duration of stay for December 1997 was 9,8 and 11,3 nights respectively. The median intended duration of stay was 7,0 nights for December 1998 the same as for December 1997.

In December 1998, 31.780 residents of Cyprus returned from a trip abroad compared to 33.307 in the corresponding month last year. For the period January-December 1998, 484.082 residents of Cyprus returned from a trip abroad compared to 422.000 in the corresponding period last year, recording an increase of 14,7%.

A percentage of 36,6% of residents of Cyprus travelling abroad in December 1998 had visited Greece, 25,0% the United Kingdom, 4,8% the United States of America,2,7% Syria and 2,5% Russia. A percentage of 44,0% stated that holidays was the main reason for travelling, 29,0% stated studies and 23,8% business. Their mean age was 33,5 years. The majority 40,8% were in the group of 25-44 years, 33,4% in the group of 15-24 years and 20,5% in group of 45-64 years.

Further information can be obtained from the report "Tourism and Travel Statistics, December 1998, No. 143".