Cyprus residents are expected to make a record 2.1 million outbound trips in 2026, surpassing 2 million for the first time, according to Haris Papacharalambous, president of the Cyprus Association of Travel and Tourist Agents (ACTTA).
The projected figure would represent a 7% increase from 1.96 million outbound trips in 2025. That equates to about 2.2 trips per permanent resident during the year.
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Air Connectivity Expands Travel Options
Papacharalambous told the Cyprus News Agency that improved air connectivity is supporting outbound travel by increasing the number of destinations and flight options available to residents.
Although new routes are primarily developed to support inbound tourism, they also give people living in Cyprus more flexibility when choosing overseas destinations.
Europe Remains The Main Destination
Europe, including the United Kingdom, accounts for about 85% of outbound trips from Cyprus, while EU countries represent almost 70%. Greece remains the leading destination, accounting for about 33% of trips, followed by Italy, Poland, France and Germany.
Travel to Spain, Romania and Poland has also recorded significant percentage increases. Longer-haul destinations are gaining interest as well, particularly the United States and Japan, while Thailand has also seen renewed demand.
Inbound Tourism Shows Mixed Results
Inbound tourism has been more uneven. Papacharalambous said July arrivals were broadly close to last year’s level, although European markets remained below their 2025 performance.
Arrivals from the UK were about 11% lower year to date, while those from EU countries declined 9.5%. He linked part of the decline to changes in flight schedules following events in March and to economic conditions in key European markets.
Israel has provided a significant offset, with about 80,000 to 90,000 more Israeli visitors arriving over the past two months than during the same period last year. June arrivals from Israel increased by about 165%.
Higher arrivals from Israel have not translated into the same increase in overnight stays, however, because Israeli visitors tend to stay for shorter periods than European tourists.
Winter Tourism Remains A Challenge
Papacharalambous said developing winter tourism remains a key challenge for Cyprus. He argued that progress requires longer-term planning rather than individual measures.
“The important thing, our bet, remains winter tourism,” he said. Investors, he added, need confidence that the tourism product will be available and supported over the long term.
Geopolitical uncertainty in the region also makes it difficult to provide a reliable forecast for Cyprus tourism in 2027.
