Cyprus has seen a 2.1 percent increase in its tourism revenue in 2006 as tourist arrivals dropped by 2.9 percent compared to the previous year.

 

About 1,027 million Cyprus pounds (US$1 equals to 0.44 Cyprus pound) were recorded last year in the country's tourism revenue, compared to 1,006 million pounds in 2005, according to data released on Thursday by Cyprus Statistical Service.

 

However, tourists arrivals last year dropped to 2,400,924 from 2,470,063 in 2005, which means incoming tourists spent more in 2006 than before.

 

The highest per capita expenditure in 2006 came from Russian tourists with 881.2 pounds during their stay in Cyprus, followed by tourists from Scandinavian countries, such as Sweden with 653 pounds and Norway with 628.2 pounds, and Austrians spent an average of 472.7 pounds.

 

The lowest per capita expenditure came from tourists from Israel with 217.7 pounds and Italy with 226.7 pounds.

 

The data obviously excluded those tourists who visited the northern part of the divided island, which is not under control of the internationally recognized Republic of Cyprus.

 

(Xinhua News Agency February 2, 2007)