Tourist arrivals were up by 7.5% in the first quarter of this year on an annual basis, while recording a small drop of 0.8% in March, data released by the Cyprus Statistical Service (CyStat) on Thursday show. At the same time trips abroad by Cypriot residents were up in March by 13.9%. In particular according to CyStat, the arrivals of tourists reached 200,736 in March 2025 compared to 202,256 in March 2024, recording a decrease of 0.8%. For the period of January – March 2025, arrivals of tourists totaled 446,596 compared to 415,251 in the corresponding period of 2024, recording an increase of 7.5%. Arrivals from the United Kingdom were the main source of tourism for March 2025, with a share of 30.7% (61,545) of total arrivals, followed by Israel with 14.1% (28,353), Poland with 9.9% (19,827), Germany with 8.0% (16,084) and Greece with 6.5% (13,053). For a percentage of 69.4% of visitors, the purpose of their trip in March 2025 was holidays, for 15.7% visit to friends and relatives and for 14.7% business. Respectively, in March 2024, 76.0% of travellers visited Cyprus for holidays, 13.1% visited friends or relatives and 10.7% visited Cyprus for business reasons. Returns of residents of Cyprus -------- CyStat says that a total number of 145,940 residents of Cyprus returned from a trip abroad in March 2025 compared to 128,085 in the corresponding month last year, recording an increase of 13.9%. The main countries from which residents of Cyprus returned in March 2025 were Greece with a share of 32.6% (47,527), the United Kingdom with 12.1% (17,624), Italy with 5.2% (7,522) and Poland with 3.5% (5,167). The purpose of travel for the residents of Cyprus in March 2025 was mainly holidays, with a percentage of 70.2%, whilst business reasons held a percentage of 26.0%, studies 2.5% and other reasons 1.3%. CNA/AAR/EPH/2025 ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY