Cyprus raised €120 million in revenue so far in 2016 from civil marriages that took place on the island, with couples mainly arriving from the UK, Israel, Lebanon, Russia, and other Eastern European countries.
According to Senior Official of the Cyprus Tourism Organisation (CTO), Antigone Kapodistria, civil marriage tourism is a market that offers significant revenue to Cyprus and has not been taken seriously in the past.
Kapodistria said that there are additional sources of revenue in accommodation, food, flower shops, treats and parties organised for the marriages.
Civil marriages number 8,000 per year, while this year that number is expected to increase. For each couple, anywhere between 10 and 60 additional guests arrive, with additional benefits to the local economy.
Source: InCyprus
