The Department of Statistics and Research announces that it has published the annual report "Tourism, Migration and Travel Statistics" for 1997. The report provides detailed data on the movement of travellers, the tourist flow and data regarding long-stay holiday trips of Cypriots.

2. The main developments in the movement of travellers and tourism in 1997 compared to 1996 are:

Travellers

In 1997 the movement of travellers to and from Cyprus recorded an increase compared to the previous year. Total arrivals of travellers reached 2.646.363 recording an increase of 5,3% and departures totalled 2.647.289 recording an increase of 5,5% compared to 1996.

Visitors

Visitors arriving increased by 5,0% to 2.193.532 persons in 1997 compared to 2.088.526 in 1996.

Tourist arrivals recorded an increase of 7,1% in 1997 over 1996 and reached 2.088.000. Europe has as usual been the traditional tourist market for Cyprus. In 1997 European countries provided the Island with more than 92% of the total tourist arrivals.

The United Kingdom remained the most important source of tourism with a share of 40,5% of the total, followed by Germany with 12,0%, the Nordic countries with 10,8%, Russia and the ex-Soviet Union countries with 10,6%, Switzerland with 4,6% and Greece with 3,2%.

The number of excursionists, visitors who did not stay overnight in the country, reached to 105.532 persons from 138.526 in 1996.

Residents

In 1997 the number of Cypriots and foreigners residing in Cyprus returned from a trip abroad was estimated at 422.000 compared to 364.700 in 1996.

Long-stay holiday trips of Cypriots

According to the results of the Family Budget Survey 1996/97 during one year 194.471 Cypriots or 29,1% of the population travelled on long-stay holiday trips. Out of those 42,8% travelled for holidays within Cyprus, 53,7% travelled abroad and 3,5% travelled both within Cyprus and abroad. Furthermore, 88,0% travelled on long-stay holiday trips only once and 10,0% twice. The peak season for Cypriots travelling was the period June-September.

Tourist Accommodation

At the end of 1997 there were in operation 4.339 tourist accommodation units registered by the Cyprus Tourism Organisation with a total capacity of 84.368 beds. Of these units 227 were hotels with stars, 284 hotel apartments, 5 tourist villages, 3.528 tourist apartments, 30 tourist villas, 17 hotels without star, 9 guesthouses, 213 furnished apartments and 26 accommodation units in traditional buildings.

Overnight stays

During 1997, 13,7 million overnight stays were recorded in all tourist accommodations showing an increase of 3,7% over the previous year. Tourists accounted for 13,1 million or 96,1% of all overnight stays.

3. The report is available from the Government Printing Office at the price of £5,00 per copy.