Nicosia – The number of people who travelled to Cyprus fell by almost 80% in 2020 compared to 2019 while people departing from the country also recorded a drop of 80.1%, according to data released by the Cyprus Statistical Service (CyStat), this week.

In particular, during the period of January – December 2020, arrivals of travellers reached 1,161,079 compared to 5,777,029 in the corresponding period of 2019, recording a decrease of 79.9%. The departures of travellers during the same period decreased by 80.1%.

In December 2020, the arrivals of travellers reached 30,099 compared to 273,714 in December 2019, recording a decrease of 89.0%.

The decrease is mainly attributed to the drop in the arrivals of tourists (91.2%) as well as to the decrease in the return of residents of Cyprus (87.6%). Concerning the departures of travellers from the island, a decrease of 88.6% was recorded in December 2020 as compared to the corresponding month of the previous year.

CyStat notes that during the period 15 March and 8 June 2020, an entry ban in the Republic of Cyprus, was imposed on several categories of persons, including tourists, as part of the measures taken to prevent the spread of the coronavirus pandemic (Covid-19).

Meanwhile, according to the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), global international tourist arrivals (overnight visitors) declined by 70% in the first eight months of 2020 over the same period of last year, due the Covid-19 travel restrictions.

International arrivals plunged 81% in July and 79% in August, traditionally the two busiest months of the year and the peak of the Northern Hemisphere summer season.