Cyprus forecasts a 5% decline in tourist arrivals in 2026 — Cyprus Mail

Cyprus expects the number of tourist arrivals in 2026 to be approximately 5% lower than a year earlier. Deputy Tourism Minister Costas Koumis said the decline is gradually slowing: 2,820,649 tourists visited the country between January and August, 7% fewer year on year. According to Cyprus Mail, the shortfall stood at 8% after the first seven months.

Impact of air traffic disruptions

Koumis noted that January and February were record months for Cyprus in terms of tourist arrivals. However, the situation changed in March due to disruptions in the Middle East, which affected air connections with the island.

According to the official, around 70% of flight programmes serving Cyprus were cancelled indefinitely overnight. He called this one of the most serious crises the country’s tourism sector has faced in decades.

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Flights and overnight stays in accommodation establishments

According to Eurostat, the number of commercial flights in Cyprus fell by 3% in August compared with the same month of 2025. This was the second-largest annual decline among EU countries after Austria, although aviation activity was growing across the bloc overall.

Separately, an analysis by Destination Finder based on Eurostat data showed that in the first half of 2026, Cyprus recorded the EU’s largest decline in overnight stays in tourist accommodation establishments, down 7.71% year on year. In June, the figure fell by 6.78%; overnight stays by non-residents decreased by 6.04%, while those by residents fell by 19.16%.