The Deputy Minister of Tourism, Kostas Koumis, expressed satisfaction with the 9.8% increase in tourist arrivals in March, according to data released on Wednesday by the Statistical Service of Cyprus.

"What pleases us is that, despite the challenges, our country's tourism confirms signs of resilience," Mr. Koumis noted in a written statement. He added that the Ministry monitors every development that directly or indirectly affects the tourism sector and always strives to find solutions.

Mr. Koumis pointed out that the country's tourism is called upon to navigate through prolonged challenges in recent times, such as geopolitical instability in the Eastern Mediterranean region, economic instability in Central and Western European markets, and adverse conditions in the aviation sector.

"We remain optimistic that the target we have set for performance, which is equivalent to last year's, will be achieved," he said.

He added that the priorities for 2024 include the continuous improvement of Cyprus' tourism product, a goal reflected in the incentive plans announced in recent months, aiming both to enhance the destination's attractiveness and to further strengthen the resilience of tourism businesses.

The data released on Wednesday by the Statistical Service shows a 9.8% increase in tourist arrivals in March 2024, totalling 202,256 compared to 184,263 in March 2023. For the period January-March 2024, arrivals amounted to 415,251, compared to 393,893 in the corresponding period of 2023, marking a 5.4% increase.

The main sources of tourist arrivals for March were the United Kingdom (64,414), Poland (21,054), and Germany (19,732).