Dubai, UAE - The idyllic Mediterranean island of Cyprus continues to experience tourism arrival growth, with 2018 results showing a year-on-year visitor increase of 7.8 per cent compared to the previous year.

New figures from the Statistical Service of the Ministry of Finance revealed full-year visitor arrivals in 2018 totalled 3,928,625, compared to 3,652,073 in the previous year.

The peak summer season between May and September saw Cyprus welcome 2,105,684 visitors alone, representing a 4.7 increase on 2017 arrivals during the same four-month period in 2017.

Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates led visitor arrivals growth from the Gulf region, registering year-on-year increases of 32.8 per cent and 3.9 per cent, respectively

“The GCC continues to represent a key region for Cyprus and through continued strategic activity and partnerships with leading travel agents and airlines, 2018 was a breakthrough year where we continued building on the awareness and popularity of the island as a tourism destination,” said Christos Demetriou, Regional Office Director – GCC & Middle East, Deputy Ministry of Tourism, Cyprus, which is responsible for organising and promoting tourism within the Republic of Cyprus.

Travellers from across the GCC can reach Cyprus in three-four hours, with direct flights operated by Emirates, Gulf Air and Qatar Airways.

For more information about what to see and do in Cyprus, visit: www.visitcyprus.com or www.facebook.com/visitcyprus.ar.

About Cyprus:

Cyprus is the third largest island in the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea. As a fully-fledged member of the European Union (EU), Cyprus is the closest European destination for GCC travellers. Providing a wealth of history, culture and nature, international travellers can experience a diverse array of outdoor activities, nature pursuits, relaxing retreats and cultural explorations across the island all year-round.

To learn more about Cyprus, visit us at: www.visitcyprus.com

About The Deputy Ministry of Tourism

The Deputy Ministry of Tourism constitutes a transformation of the Cyprus Tourism Organisation (CTO). The objective of the Deputy Ministry is to establish a strategic and supervisory authority with powers to develop a national strategy for tourism, promotion and projection of Cyprus as a tourist destination, as well as implementation of tourism legislation.

To follow The Deputy Ministry of Tourism on Facebook, visit us at: www.facebook.com/visitcyprus.ar