Cyprus tourists drop 7.1 pct y/y in Jan

NICOSIA, Feb 11 (Reuters) - Tourism arrivals to Cyprus fell 7.1 percent year-on-year in January, official statistics showed on Wednesday, reaffirming the industry's fears of a difficult year for the sector.

There was an 8.5 percent drop in January arrivals from Britain, Cyprus's main market and which accounts for roughly half the two million-plus arrivals each year. German tourist arrivals fell 5.6 percent, and there was a 4.1 percent decline from the Greek market, the statistics department said.

Russians, which are a comparatively small market but eyed for its growth potential to the Mediterranean island, bucked the trend, with January arrivals almost doubling year on year.

Tourism represents about 10.6 percent of Cyprus's gross domestic product. The sector expects a downturn in arrivals this year, with bookings to the holiday island already down by estimates

12.02.2009