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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 Property Deals Reach €286 Million Despite Second-Quarter Uncertainty

Cyprus’ high-end property market remained active in the first half of 2026, although geopolitical uncertainty may have weighed on investment activity during the second quarter.

€286.4 Million Across The 50 Largest Deals

Property transactions worth a combined €286.4 million ranked among Cyprus’ 50 highest-value deals completed between January and June, according to real estate analytics firm Ask Wire.

Examining the country’s biggest sales across all districts, the report found that the 10 largest transactions alone accounted for €161.7 million, highlighting the concentration of activity at the upper end of the market.

Limassol Extends Its Lead

A €55 million sale involving a building and adjoining fields in Moni was the largest property transaction recorded during the period.

Six of the country’s 10 biggest deals took place in Limassol, with a combined value of €117.2 million. Paphos followed with three transactions worth €35.5 million, while Larnaca recorded one €9 million sale.

Across the broader ranking, Limassol’s 10 largest transactions reached €148.2 million, representing 51.7% of the total value of the top 50 deals. Paphos followed with €68.8 million (24%), while Nicosia recorded €26.7 million. Famagusta narrowly surpassed Larnaca, reaching €21.4 million compared with €21.2 million.

Land Continues To Drive High-Value Deals

According to Ask Wire CEO Pavlos Loizou, land acquisitions continue to dominate Cyprus’ largest property transactions.

“The land market dominates the list of the 10 highest-value property transactions, with seven sales involving fields and plots.”

Many of those sites are expected to be developed into luxury residential and hospitality projects, he added.

Office Demand Remains Strong

Growing demand for office space also reflects the expansion of international companies establishing operations in Cyprus, Loizou said.

“We continue to observe growing demand for office properties, reflecting the expansion of the new ecosystem of international companies that has been establishing itself in Cyprus in recent years.”

Eight of the 10 largest transactions were completed during the first quarter of 2026, with activity slowing in the following three months.

Loizou said the slowdown may reflect investor caution linked to the conflict in the Middle East, which appears to have influenced investment decisions during the second quarter.

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