Cyprus. Photo source: ESA.
Four out of 10 travelers from Cyprus choose to visit Greece each year, according to findings presented last week during the Travel Expo Cyprus 2023.
The Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO), regions, municipalities, mainland and island tourism and hospitality businesses participated in this year’s Travel Expo Cyprus.
More specifically, according to Greek Ambassador to Cyprus Ioannis Papameletiou who cited Bank of Greece data, 733,000 Cypriots traveled to Greece in 2022 compared to 801,000 in pre-Covid 2019. Last year, 170,000 Greeks visited Cyprus.
Contributing to the rise in arrivals from Cyprus last year was the increase in the number of airline seats and routes between the two countries. Stronger connectivity is set to continue in 2023 with flights by AEGEAN, Cyprus Airways, Sky Express, TUS Airways, Ryanair and Wizz Air, as well as the availability of charter flights directly to the Greek islands over summer.
Photo source: Cyprus Airways.
Papameletiou went on to add that Greece accounts for 40 percent of total outgoing travel from Cyprus. He added that besides visiting popular destinations in Greece, Cypriot travelers also visit the country for four- or five-day holidays, to visit family and friends or for educational purposes.
The ambassador confirmed that the two countries enjoyed a close cooperation in tourism and that stronger tourist flows were expected this year particularly in view of the fact that Greece and Cyprus will be connected with 150 weekly flights in July and August.
Additionally, he referred the reinstatement 21 years later of a ferry link between Cyprus and Greece last summer which transported 7,500 passengers and 2,500 vehicles on 18 routes. A total of 22 routes: 14 from Limassol and eight from Larnaca have been planned for summer 2023.
