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British Tourists Lead, With Israel And Poland Following In Cyprus Tourism Surge

In a robust display of growth, July saw tourist arrivals in Cyprus climb by 6.9% year-over-year, with more than half a million visitors recorded. The latest figures from the state statistical service reveal that 589,116 tourists visited the island in July 2025, up from 551,229 in the same month last year.

Impressive Year-to-Date Growth

The upward trend is confirmed by a 10.4% increase in overall arrivals for the first seven months of 2025, which reached 2,432,129 compared to 2,203,704 during the corresponding period in 2024. This sustained growth underlines Cyprus’ continuing appeal as a premier tourist destination.

Key Source Markets

The United Kingdom remained the largest source of tourists in July, contributing 32.2% of the total with 189,730 visitors. Israel and Poland followed, accounting for 13% (76,557 arrivals) and 7.4% (43,713 arrivals) respectively. Other notable markets included Germany (4%), Sweden (3.5%), and Romania (2.9%).

Market Dynamics And Emerging Trends

The statistical data also highlight notable market variations. The Netherlands experienced the most significant increase in tourist arrivals at 44.3% compared to July 2024, while Poland and Romania saw robust growth rates of 23.3% and 23.6% respectively. In contrast, traditional markets such as Greece and Sweden witnessed declines of 20.8% and 13%, with France and Lebanon also showing notable downturns.

Visitor Profiles And Purpose Of Visit

Analyzing the purpose of travel, the vast majority of tourists (85.5%) visited Cyprus for holidays, followed by 11.6% coming to visit friends and relatives, and 2.8% on business. This distribution closely mirrors the trends from July 2024, albeit with minor shifts in percentages.

Resident Return Trends

Adding to the travel momentum, there was a 9.1% surge in the number of Cypriot residents returning from abroad in July 2025, totaling 186,987 compared to 171,382 the previous year. Greece emerged as the primary return destination, accounting for 36.8% of returning residents, followed by the United Kingdom and Italy.

Conclusion

These latest statistics underscore Cyprus’ dynamic tourism market and its growing appeal among international travelers. The continuing inflow of visitors from diverse markets, alongside strong resident travel performance, positions the island favorably in a competitive tourism landscape.

Cyprus Tourism Shows Strength As Clean Monday Hotel Bookings Surge

Hotels Embrace A Bright Outlook

Recent figures point to growing momentum in hotel reservations ahead of the Clean Monday weekend, signaling renewed confidence in Cyprus’ tourism sector. Christos Angelides, Director of PASYXE, emphasized the positive trend while also underscoring the need to gradually extend the tourism season beyond traditional peak months.

Favorable Conditions And Festive Spirit

Angelides noted that bookings recorded during the past weekend reached encouraging levels, a development attributed to multiple converging factors. The return of sunny weather after prolonged rainfall, coupled with the festive aura of carnival events and children’s parades in cities such as Nicosia, Limassol, and Paphos, has motivated many to opt for short getaways. This seasonal momentum is further boosted by the strategic initiatives of local hotels, many of which are curating special menus for Clean Monday events, offering guests an enhanced stay experience by keeping them on-premise.

Positioning For The Off-Season

Despite the positive indicators, Angelides cautioned that average occupancy rates of 25%–30% highlight the need for continued innovation rather than complacency. He described the current period as part of a longer process of building winter tourism and pointed to opportunities in conferences, corporate events and niche travel segments as potential drivers of year-round demand.

Expanding Air Connectivity and Collective Ecosystem

Industry expectations are further supported by expanded air connections from established markets such as the United Kingdom and Israel, alongside increased routes from Armenia, Romania, Bulgaria, Latvia and Poland. While recovery in the German market remains gradual, broader improvements in connectivity continue to strengthen overall tourism prospects. Angelides added that sustainable year-round tourism depends on a wider ecosystem that extends beyond accommodation to include restaurants, museums, cultural venues and community events.

The Path Forward

Cyprus continues to benefit from strong competitive advantages in climate, accessibility and hospitality infrastructure. With coordinated planning across tourism stakeholders and consistent investment in diversified offerings, the sector is positioned to contribute more steadily to the national economy and support a more balanced, all-season travel model.

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Aretilaw firm
The Future Forbes Realty Global Properties
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