Cyprus Tourism Organization (CTO) aims to attract to Cyprus around 400.000 Chinese tourists, said Tuesday the Organization`s Chairman Angelos Loizou, speaking at the same time about the efforts, in cooperation with the government, to resolve visa issues for Chinese citizens.
As he said in a press conference, a wide meeting will take place next Thursday at the Foreign Ministry on the subject of visas for Chinese citizens to enter the Republic of Cyprus. “Once the problem is solved”, he said, “CTO aims to attract to Cyprus around 400.000 Chinese tourists”.
Speaking on the forthcoming visit of President of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades in China, Loizou said that during the visit the President will be accompanied by a CTO delegation to find out why the efforts to attract tourists from the big market of China, in the previous years, where unsuccessful.
CTO expects that tourists from China will boost tourism growth in Nicosia even in the winter.
Regarding the casino resort to be established in Cyprus, CTO Chairman, estimated that it will attract around 500 000 additional tourists.
Announcing statistical results for tourism, Loizou said that in 2014, 2.4 million tourist arrived in Cyprus and revenues from tourism amounted to 2 billion and 35 million euros. Tourists were spending on average 829 euros per capita during their stay in Cyprus and around 77.5 euros per day.
As he said the United Kingdom is the main tourist market for Cyprus, followed by Russia, Greece, Sweden, Germany and Israel. He added that tourists prefer Paphos and Polis and then Famagusta, Limassol, Larnaca and Nicosia.
From January to August 2015, there was an increase in tourist arrivals excluding June, while April and August recorded record numbers.
For winter 2014/215 CTO Chairman said that there was an increase of 67.7% from Israel, 49% from Arab countries, 22.4% from Germany, 11.8% from Greece and 9 8% from Israel.
