Cyprus residents spent a total of €2.37 billion on domestic and outbound travel in 2024, according to figures released by the Cyprus Statistical Service on Friday.

Overall, 543,526 residents made at least one trip involving an overnight stay, a 9.1 per cent increase compared with the 498,026 recorded in 2023.  

Domestic trips increased by 3.5 per cent, reaching 1.62 million in 2024.  

Of these, 98.5 per cent were for personal reasons, and rented accommodation, including hotels, similar establishments, campsites and hostels, accounted for 51.2 per cent of stays.  

Non-rented accommodation made up the remaining 48.8 per cent.  

Meanwhile, outbound trips totalled 1.75 million, marking a 4.3 per cent rise from 2023.  

Personal travel represented 86.4 per cent of these journeys, while 13.6 per cent were for business.  

Rented accommodation remained the preferred option for overseas stays, used in 72.7 per cent of cases.  

In terms of travel patterns, residents taking only domestic trips increased by 5.2 per cent, reaching 164,590.  

In contrast, those travelling only abroad fell by 6.6 per cent to 169,525.  

However, the number of people engaging in both domestic and outbound trips rose sharply, up 30.8 per cent, reaching 209,411.  

Turning to spending, domestic travel expenditure reached €300.1 million, up 2.5 per cent from 2023.  

Accommodation absorbed the largest share at 37.4 per cent, followed by food and drinks in cafes and restaurants (35.8 per cent).  

Transportation accounted for 9.2 per cent, while other expenses, including supermarket purchases, cultural activities and miscellaneous services, made up 17.6 per cent.  

By comparison, expenditure on outbound travel increased to €2.07 billion, recording a 6.7 per cent increase.  

Transport costs formed the largest component at 34.8 per cent, while food and drinks accounted for 24.2 per cent, accommodation for 23.6 per cent, and other items for 17.4 per cent.  

Finally, the statistical service noted that the survey refers to the number of trips, not the number of individuals,  meaning a single resident may be responsible for several journeys throughout the year.