Proceeds from tourism in the first five months of the year also rose 8.6% year-on-year to €475.5 million.

May saw 293,181 tourist arrivals who stayed on the island an average 10 days. Average spending was around €764 per person, the statistical service said. In May last year, 276,244 tourists spent around €731 per person during an average stay of 9.3 days.

Germans topped the list of spenders in May 2014, averaging around €901 per person with an average stay of 10.6 days. However, only 8,564 German tourists visited Cyprus compared with 88,426 Russians who spent €874 per person. The average stay for Russian tourists was 9.2 days.

The statistical service said 106,063 British tourists visited Cyprus in May, spending an average €750 per person during the 11.4 days they stayed on the island.

Source: Cyprus Mail