1. The Statistical Service announces that in December 2000 the number of arrivals covering all categories of travellers (including excursionists) reached 142.978 recording an increase of 12,3% compared to the corresponding month last year. For the period January-December 2000 arrivals of travellers reached 3.534.880 compared to 3.142.293 in the corresponding period of 1999, recording an increase of 12,5%.
2. Arrivals of tourists reached 93.722 in December 2000 compared to 84.274 in the corresponding month last year, recording an increase of 11,2%. For the period January-December 2000 arrivals of tourists reached 2.686.205 compared to 2.434.285 in the corresponding period of 1999, i.e. an increase of 10,3%.
   
   The main countries of tourist arrivals for the period January-December 2000 were the United Kingdom with 50,7%, Germany with 8,7%, Russia with 4,8%, Sweden with 4,7%, Greece with 3,7%, Switzerland with 2,9%, Norway with 2,2% and Netherlands with 2,1%. The overwhelming majority, 79,7% of tourist arrivals was from countries of the European Union.
3. In December 2000, 41.297 residents of Cyprus returned from a trip abroad compared to 38.289 in the corresponding month last year. For the period January-December 2000, 587.622 residents returned from a trip abroad compared to 540.396 in the corresponding period last year recording an increase of 8,7%.
4. In December 2000 the number of same-day visitors reached 6.012 of which 776 were same-day tourists and 5.236 excursionists. Long-term immigrants numbered 1.073 and short-term immigrants 873.

Further information can be obtained from the report "Tourism and Travel Statistics, December 2000, No. 167".