Breaking news

Cyprus Tourism Declines 3.3% In August As Israeli Arrivals Surge

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

September 17, 2026

Cyprus recorded 581,880 tourist arrivals in August, down 3.3% from 602,026 a year earlier, according to the Statistical Service of Cyprus (Cystat). The decline narrowed as arrivals from Israel rose sharply, while traffic from several other major markets weakened.

August arrivals were still 4.9% above the 554,923 recorded in August 2024.

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Year-To-Date Decline Narrows

Tourist arrivals reached 2.82 million in the first eight months of 2026, down 7% from 3.03 million a year earlier. The gap narrowed from 10.1% at the end of June and 8% at the end of July.

Britain remained Cyprus’ largest market, accounting for 30.5% of August arrivals, or 177,603 visitors. UK arrivals fell 8% year on year, while Israeli arrivals jumped 28.4% to 135,628, accounting for 23.3% of the monthly total.

Together, Britain and Israel supplied more than half of all tourist arrivals in August.

Most Major Markets Remain Under Pressure

Poland remained the third-largest market, although arrivals fell 12.5% to 36,622. Germany followed with 25,823 visitors, down 6.7%, while Sweden declined 6.4% to 17,441.

Norway was among the few major markets to grow, with arrivals up 1.4% to 8,006. Romania fell 16.3%, Greece 9.7% and Austria 13%.

France recorded the sharpest decline among the listed markets, with arrivals plunging 46% to 8,453. The Netherlands also fell sharply, down 17.5%.

Airports Record Strong Summer Traffic

Larnaca and Paphos airports handled 1.77 million passengers in August, the highest monthly total of 2026, although traffic was 1.5% below August 2025.

For January-August, the airports handled 8.82 million passengers, down 3.3% year on year but 7.9% above the same period in 2024. Tourism Deputy Minister Kostas Koumis has said full-year arrivals could be about 5% below 2025.

Holidays Dominate Travel

Holidays accounted for 84.5% of tourist arrivals in August, down from 86.5% a year earlier. Visits to friends and relatives rose to 13%, while business travel represented 2.4%.

Meanwhile, 239,337 Cyprus residents returned from overseas trips in August, up 0.3% year on year and about 24% above August 2024. Greece remained the leading destination, accounting for 36.6% of returning residents.

Holidays represented 93.1% of residents’ trips, compared with 91.6% a year earlier, while business travel accounted for 5.9%.

The Future Forbes Realty Global Properties

AI In Practice Brings Business Leaders Together To Learn, Unlearn And Relearn

by News Editor

October 16, 2026

AI in Practice: Changing the Future of Business takes place on Monday, 19 October 2026, at the Cultural Center of European University Cyprus in Nicosia, under the auspices of the Chief Scientist of Cyprus, Demetris Skourides.

Organised by Panis.News with co-organisers GrantXpert Consulting and Future Skills Hub at European University Cyprus, the event will bring together founders, SME owners and senior executives to examine practical uses of artificial intelligence.

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The evening runs from 18:00 to 22:30. Tickets will be available until 12:00 noon on Monday, 19 October, Cyprus time.

For business leaders, the challenge is deciding where AI can deliver results. The programme will explore how to identify useful applications, prepare teams and connect technology investment with business needs. Demonstrations, case studies and direct questions to speakers will help attendees assess their next steps.

Panis Pieri, Founder of Panis.News, said:

“Business leaders need space to ask questions, challenge assumptions and learn from people applying AI. We created AI in Practice to make that conversation accessible and useful. We want attendees to leave with a clearer idea of what they can do next in their own businesses.”

Dr Celia Hadjichristodoulou, Founder and Managing Director of GrantXpert Consulting and Future Skills Hub, said:

“Working out where AI belongs in your business takes real thought about your customers, your processes and your people.”

AIA.Labs supports the event as the Gold Partner. Its founder, Sotiris Makrygiannis, said:

“In the 70s we learnt how to punch a card to go to work or program a timesharing computing machine, in the 80s the personal PC and office tools, in the 90s the modem and basic internet, in the 2000s mobile internet plus web shopping, and by 2010 the mobile apps. Now it’s time to learn how to practically use AI and that alone is the most disruptive thing an individual can do today. We are happy to sponsor the event because theory needs a practical application.”

The Agenda

– 18:00–18:30: Registration and networking.

– 18:30–18:50: Welcome remarks from Panis Pieri, Dr Celia Hadjichristodoulou and EUC Rector Professor Loizos Symeou.

– 18:50–19:00: Interview with Chief Scientist Demetris Skourides.

– 19:00–19:20: The AI Revolution. Why should you care? by Monica Odysseos, Head of AI and Data Lab of Grant Thornton.

– 19:20–19:40: From Business Pain Points to AI Transformation: A CEO’s Roadmap to Real Results by George Malekkos, CEO of POWERSOFT Computer Solutions & AI-Driven Business Transformation Architect & President of CITEA.

– 19:40–20:20: AI and the Future of Business: Will Your Business Be Here in 2030? by Paris Thomas, Executive Advisor on AI & Strategy, Founder at Rapid Visual / Strapivo

– 20:20–21:00: Questions and answers with the speakers.

– 21:00–22:30: Networking over drinks and bites.

The Challenge

The evening’s programme approaches the challenge from three directions.

Monica Odysseos will begin with a question that deserves a clear answer: why should you care?

Her session will explore how AI is changing the way people work, make decisions and create. Her background spans software development, accounting and applied AI, bringing both technical and business perspectives to the discussion.

George Malekkos will then examine how business problems can become starting points for AI adoption.

Where does your company lose time? Which processes cause delays? Where could you improve the customer experience?

His presentation will look at selecting useful applications, preparing teams and processes, and measuring results. For a business owner deciding where to begin, that connection between a specific problem and a measurable outcome matters.

Paris Thomas will take the discussion further with his keynote, “AI and the Future of Business: Will Your Business Be Here in 2030?”

It is a challenging question. It asks leaders to look beyond today’s workload and consider how their products, services and business models might need to change.

His hour-long session will include live AI demonstrations and enterprise case studies. It will explore how leaders can improve their current business while developing new opportunities and preparing for longer-term change.

The Event

The event will be in English.

The full programme and to book your tickets, visit: https://luma.com/ai-in-practice-cyprus

The organisers thank:

Silver Partners Growth Hacking Cyprus, RSEVEN, Mel’s Digital and Makkas Winery.
Supporters: Cyprus Computer Society, XValley Tech, Business Society Accelerator, Startup School Cyprus and Carierista.
Community Partners: EIT Community Hub Cyprus, CYENS, Women in Tech, Startup Greece, ECECT, CITEA, IET Cyprus and Cyprus_IT

Follow updates about the event on social media at #PanisMeetups