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Cyprus Economy In 2024: Growth In Key Sectors, But Trade Faces Challenges

Cyprus experienced notable economic growth in 2024, driven by increases in construction, manufacturing, tourism, and vehicle registrations. However, trade performance weakened, with both imports and exports declining. The latest data from CySTAT provides a comprehensive overview of these trends.

Key Figures

  • Construction Growth: Building permits reached 1.72 million square meters (January–August 2024), an 18% increase compared to the same period in 2023.
  • Manufacturing Expansion: Industrial production rose 1.8% from January to November 2024, reflecting steady growth in the sector.
  • Increase in Vehicle Registrations: Total vehicle registrations grew 9.1%, reaching 49,616; Private saloon car registrations increased 11.2%, while light goods vehicle sales surged 36.1%.
  • Consumer Price Index: Inflation remained moderate, with the CPI rising 1.8% for the year.
  • Tourism Growth: Tourist arrivals reached 4,040,200, marking a 5.1% increase compared to 2023.
  • Decline in Trade Performance: Imports fell 7%, totaling €12.26 billion; Exports declined 12.5%, amounting to €4.12 billion.

The data highlights strong domestic economic activity but also signals potential challenges in external trade.

Cyprus Expects More French Visitors In 2027 As Air Capacity Expands

Cyprus expects more French visitors in 2027 as airlines increase capacity between the two countries, Tourism Deputy Minister Kostas Koumis said after meetings with tour operators in Paris.

France, one of Cyprus’ key tourism markets, has had a difficult 2026. French arrivals fell 46% year over year to 8,453 in August, from 15,663 a year earlier, according to the Statistical Service of Cyprus (Cystat). August arrivals were also nearly 50% below the 16,798 recorded in the same month of 2024.

Overall, Cyprus received 2.82 million tourist arrivals between January and August, down 7% from the same period in 2025.

Air Connectivity Supports 2027 Outlook

Koumis discussed the 2027 outlook with senior executives from tour operators offering Cyprus holidays during the IFTM Top Resa travel trade fair in Paris.

Higher air capacity between France and Cyprus was a key focus of the talks. Participants also discussed the impact of geopolitical tensions in the Middle East on the French market and Cyprus’ efforts to adapt its tourism offering to French travelers.

“The French market is undoubtedly an extremely important market for our country’s tourism,” Koumis said, adding that France had regained importance only a few years ago and still had room to grow.

Improved air connectivity will be an important factor in that expansion, according to Koumis. “It is now clear that air connectivity between France and Cyprus is improving significantly, which is a basic prerequisite for the further growth of the market,” he said.

Cyprus Promotes Tourism And Regional Cooperation

Koumis attended the opening of IFTM Top Resa at the invitation of French Tourism Minister Serge Papin, who later visited the Cyprus stand. Held from Sept. 15 to 17 at Paris Porte de Versailles, the event brought together more than 32,000 tourism professionals representing 177 destinations and 1,650 brands, according to organizers.

During his visit, Koumis also met Egyptian Tourism Minister Sherif Fathy. Cyprus and Egypt reaffirmed their tourism cooperation and discussed opportunities to strengthen ties further.

French media interviews covered Cyprus’ tourism offering, infrastructure and services, along with efforts to develop specialized tourism products. Regional instability weighed on arrivals in 2026, particularly during the spring, although the decline narrowed over the summer.

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