Russian arrivals to Cyprus increased by 74% in April.


The island nation of Cyprus reported a whopping 43% rise in tourist numbers last month compared with 2010 figures, revealing a surge in foreign interest that could revitalise its property market.

According to the government's statistical service, a total of 199,762 tourists visited Cyprus in April, compared to 139,658 in the same month last year.

The huge increase in arrivals was "the largest monthly rise in some years", according to the government.

Quarterly trends for the island's tourism looked similarly positive, with a 17% increase in tourist arrivals in the three months to April 2011.

Cyprus's handy proximity to the booming economies of eastern Europe aided its success in tourism – 18,987 Russian tourists (a huge 74% more compared to April`10) visited the nation last month.

The growing strength of the rouble, which rose from 48 to 39 against the euro last month, should see Russian vacationers come to dominate tourist numbers in Europe this summer, and their apparent attraction to Cyprus should prove a lucrative factor indeed for buy to let owners on the island.