For the second year in a row, the eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus is expecting a record number of international visitors in 2017.
Cyprus tourism officials say the island is on track to increase by 5% the nearly 3.2 million visits last year—a number that was itself 17% higher than the figure for 2015.
The tourism office attributes the surge to an overhauled marketing campaign launched three years ago.
Since then, Cyprus has been presented to tour operators and travelers as an upscale spot with significant religious sites, soccer teams in training during the pleasant winter months, and plenty of good options for a destination wedding. Not to mention the island's abundant sun, sand, and surf.
Security concerns over traveling to nearby Turkey and Egypt might have also contributed to the rise in visits to Cyprus, as tourists seek an alternative Mediterranean destination.
