Cyprus tourist arrivals plunge in March as regional tensions hit travel

Tourist arrivals to Cyprus fell to 139,198 in March 2026, down 30.7 per cent from 200,736 in the same month last year, according to the state statistical service (Cystat).

For the first three months of the year, arrivals totalled 407,339, compared with 446,596 in the corresponding period of 2025, marking a decline of 8.8 per cent.

The United Kingdom remained the biggest source of tourism in March, accounting for 32.9 per cent of total arrivals with 45,763 visitors.

It was followed by Poland with 17,604 arrivals and a share of 12.6 per cent, Germany with 14,999 or 10.8 per cent, and Greece with 9,009, representing 6.5 per cent of the total.

Looking at the full table, arrivals from Austria rose to 3,617, up 27.3 per cent year-on-year, while arrivals from France fell to 1,782, a drop of 47.1 per cent.

Arrivals from Germany declined by 6.7 per cent to 14,999, while Denmark nearly doubled to 1,478, marking an increase of 98.9 per cent.

At the same time, arrivals from Switzerland fell by 31.3 per cent to 1,617, while Greece dropped by 31 per cent to 9,009.

Visitors from the United Kingdom declined by 25.6 per cent to 45,763, while arrivals from Israel plunged by 94.6 per cent to just 1,537.

Arrivals from Lebanon also fell, dropping by 41.6 per cent to 1,193, while Norway recorded an increase of 13.9 per cent to 1,504.

Visitors from the Netherlands declined by 17.4 per cent to 2,295, while arrivals from Hungary edged down 3.7 per cent to 1,512.

Meanwhile, arrivals from Romania rose by 8.8 per cent to 3,178, while Sweden fell by 25.9 per cent to 2,557.

Arrivals grouped under other countries declined by 23.2 per cent to 29,553, the service reported.

The statistical service reported that holidays remained the main reason for visiting Cyprus in March, accounting for 65.7 per cent of total travel.

A further 19.8 per cent of tourists said they were visiting friends and relatives, while 14.3 per cent travelled for business.

In March 2025, the corresponding shares stood at 69.4 per cent for holidays, 15.7 per cent for visits to friends and relatives, and 14.7 per cent for business travel.

Meanwhile, the number of Cyprus residents returning from a trip abroad reached 133,034 in March 2026, compared with 145,940 in the corresponding month of 2025, recording a decrease of 8.8 per cent.

Most residents were returning from Greece, which accounted for 32.4 per cent of the total with 43,068 returns.

The United Kingdom followed with 13,131 returns or 9.9 per cent, while Italy accounted for 6,304 returns or 4.7 per cent, and Germany for 5,961 or 4.5 per cent.

As for the purpose of travel, holidays were again the main reason for Cyprus residents travelling abroad, making up 72.5 per cent of trips.

Business travel accounted for 22.6 per cent, while 3.9 per cent travelled for studies and 1 per cent for other reasons.

According to the methodological note, tourists are defined as visitors who stay for at least one night in Cyprus, while tourist arrivals refer to the number of trips rather than the number of persons, meaning that one person may make more than one trip during the reference period.

Residents of Cyprus are defined as people who have lived in Cyprus for at least 12 months, or who came to Cyprus intending to stay for at least that long before travelling.

The data are drawn from the passenger survey carried out at arrival points in Larnaca and Paphos airports, and are also supplemented by administrative data, including monthly arrivals from ports.

They cover all persons passing through passport control at ports and airports in the government-controlled area of Cyprus, excluding travellers arriving or departing illegally via ports and airports in the occupied areas.