NICOSIA – Led by big-spending visitors from The Netherlands, Cyprus’ comeback from the COVID-19 pandemic on the back of recovering tourism saw a revenue jump of 26.9 percent in the first seven months of 2023.

That didn’t include the especially lucrative August and early September period up to the end of summer as the year found foreign visitors eager to return and put the horror of the Coronavirus behind them.

The increase was over the same period in 2022 when health measures were being eased to encourage people to come back to the island that depends on them, the government catering to their needs.

These findings were revealed in the Traveler Survey results published by the state’s statistical service, said The Cyprus Mail, adding that the seven-month period saw a steady increase in arrivals and spending.

Curiously, it was Greeks who spent the least during their time on the island which is a competitor for tourists, especially in Europe, as they duel for travelers especially aiming for beaches, sun and sand.

Tourism revenue for the period of January-July 2023 totalled 1.54 billion ($1.61 billion) that was a marked increase from the 1.21 billion euros ($1.27 billion) before international air travel resumed in earnest.

What was especially notable is that 454 million euros ($475.5 million) of that amount for the 2023 period came in July alone, a likely indicator of how big the whole summer will be once the totals are in.

That came from 523,718 visitors compared to 454,657 in July 2022 as the comeback accelerated and Cyprus reached out to tourists, relying on their revenues to boost the economy.