Monarch has started running its twice-weekly service between Larnaca and Birmingham Airport from March 2009. The move further enhances the ease of access to Cyprus, which could the Mediterranean island a popular choice for holidaymakers in summer. Furthermore, the improved connectivity could enhance the appeal of Cyprus among foreign property investors, particularly lifestyle buyers in the West Midlands.

Liz Savage, managing director of Monarch, commented: “I am sure that the people of the Midlands will warmly welcome the introduction of this service.”

According to Travel and Tourism News, the Mediterranean island is increasingly being seen as a year-round holiday destination. As a result, more and more people are choosing to visit at various times of the year, including during the winter.

This has led to growing interest in the Cypriot market among lifestyle buyers and rental investors. “Many choose to spend extended holidays in their properties, visiting several times a year,” said Travel and Tourism News.

In related news, Thomas cook said that the island offers “guaranteed sunshine”, therefore allowing investors to earn money from rent all year round. The country is still an attractive option for many British holidaymakers, as it is “as popular as ever”.

According to City AM, The Mediterranean country enjoys hot and sunny weather for most of the year and visitors to the island can enjoy activities such as golf, diving, walking, rambling or relaxing on its blue flag beaches. It is “easy” to see why millions of Brits fell “in love” with Cyprus, especially since it could be reached from the UK in only four hours.

The resorts of Larnaca and Paphos on Cyprus are perfect for mini weekend breaks. The People magazine said Paphos had something that appealed to everyone, such as places to enjoy a night out and a variety of cultural and historical sites while its good weather and scenery are also highlighted as further benefits for tourists.

Meanwhile, Emirates airline has announced direct services between Dubai and Larnaca will begin operating from the beginning of December. As a result, it is likely that it will attract strong interest from holidaymakers and overseas property buyers during 2009.

The year round sunshine means that it is likely to attract tourists for a longer period of time, which will result in tourist lodgings being in continuous demand.

Therefore, rental property in Cyprus could be far more lucrative than investing in a country with a more seasonal tourist trade.

Cyprus is particularly good to visit in winter because it still has warm temperatures, characteristically in the mid-20s.

Telegraph has stated that going to places of interest in Cyprus will be more enjoyable in winter than in summer, as the heat is less stifling. Panos Englezos, the chairman of the Cyprus Tourism Organization (CTO) in an interview to the Cyprus Mail has said that the perception of tourists about Cyprus as only being a good holiday spot during the summer months is changing. He commented that CTO is making attempts to boost tourists in winter by working together with local authorities as it’s an investment for the future.

Earlier TravelConnect said that Cyprus attracts vacationers due to its sun-drenched Mediterranean climate, ideal for sunbathing, water sports and hiking among the hills.

Co-operative Travel has predicted that the number of British tourists set to visit Cyprus this Christmas is 40 per cent higher than at the same time last year.

The growing popularity of Cyprus as a tourist destination boosts its standing among overseas property investors as well. Rental accommodations in Cyprus saw greater demand as a result of an annual increase in tourist numbers. The recent report in the Mirror has said that Cyprus housing market has seen considerable growth in recent times, with values rising by about 80 per cent in the last few years.

Britons accounted for nearly half of the foreign arrivals in Cyprus during January. Nearly 95 per cent of road signs are in English and the high English-speaking culture clearly shows the strong influx of British tourists.

Cyprus’ Department of Civil Aviation press release states that aeroplane traffic to and from the island increased in June. Larnaca airport in particular recorded increase in arrival of passengers. In general, there was a 5.9 per cent rise in overall aircraft traffic and that is matched by the 4.1 per cent rise in passenger numbers.

Demographic breakdowns of tourist give a good insight about tourism of Cyprus:
Europe: 85.7 %
Of this total, 57 per cent are from the UK
Germany, the next largest group on 6.8 per cent
Greece: 5.3%
Sweden: 309%
Recently Russian holidaymakers also turned their attention towards Cyprus.

The study by CYSTAT shows that Cyprus earned almost £430 million from tourism and this made the tourist industry as one of the most important contributors to the national economy. The growing year-round tourist trade translated into higher rental yields and Owners of rental accommodation in Cyprus are likely to be profited by country’s booming tourism. The demand for rental accommodation has increased resulting in higher occupancy rates and higher rental returns. The overall revenues generated in rental accommodation went up by 5.9% to £1.4bn last year.

Mr. Peters further said that the increased tourist numbers had made Cyprus a perfect place for overseas property purchasers to invest in holiday homes. Cyprus is high on the internet market place.

Online Booking for holidays in Cyprus, making travel arrangements, booking flights or accommodation is becoming increasingly popular. Many British property investors after having visited and tasted the Cypriot lifestyle have decided either to invest or relocate to Cyprus and with the inclusion of Cyprus into the EU this is expected to increase further.

Mr. Peters finally highlighted that the Cyprus property prices and overall cost of living is highly affordable. PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) predicted that the island was set to see strong economic growth of at least four per cent in 2008 and tourism sector would be an important contributor to Cyprus performance in 2008.

Cyprus has long been a popular holiday destination for British tourists. English is widely spoken on this ex- British colony. The land registry system is similar to Britain which makes easier for property investors. These familiarities and 300 days of sunshine a year, attractive coastline and golf courses are clear enticements for the British to continue to flock to the island for both business and bliss.

Cyprus offers a strong property market, reaping the rewards of a stable economy. The adoption of the Euro in January 2008 as well as the estimated falling interest rates will provide property investors with a secure environment to invest their money. The huge influx of tourists, per capita tourist expenditure, period of stay and repeated visits makes Cyprus not only a place in the sun but a surefire rental opportunity.

The growth of capital investment in Cyprus is enormous with the value of property had increased between 30-40 per cent in the past few years. With booming tourism and a reputation for attracting repeat tourists, a buy-to-let investment in Cyprus is a great opportunity as rental demand continues to outstrip supply.