Deputy Minister Kostas Koumis reported that Cyprus tourism is returning to a stable track after an aggressive international campaign countered unprecedented geopolitical and aviation hurdles faced earlier this year.

Overcoming an Unprecedented Start

Cyprus is seeing a gradual stabilisation of its tourism sector, with Deputy Minister of Tourism Kostas Koumis confirming that the industry is returning to a "stable path" following a challenging start to the year.

The latest figures from the Statistical Service reveal that approximately 455,000 tourists arrived in May 2026. While this represents a 4.9% dip compared to the same month last year, it marks a significant 8.1% increase over May 2024.

The first five months of 2026 saw a 13.3% drop in arrivals compared to 2025, a slump largely attributed to "unprecedented" challenges in March. Koumis noted that the government had to manage the most difficult situation in decades, barring the pandemic, navigating the fallout of geopolitical tensions and a global debate over aviation fuel shortages.

Managing the Crises

The government and the Deputy Ministry of Tourism, he said, "were called upon to manage an unprecedentedly negative situation, perhaps the most difficult situation of recent decades, excluding of course the pandemic period that paralyzed global tourism; since, apart from the negative influence of geopolitical tensions, the tourism sector was also affected by the discussion regarding the shortage of aviation fuel supply."

"What is important is that our country's tourism is returning to a stable track, leaving behind the events of March and the negative impact caused during that period," Koumis said.

Aggressive Campaigns to Protect the Brand

To counter the downturn, the Deputy Ministry launched an aggressive international campaign over the last three months, he noted. According to Koumis this included enhanced digital promotion across 27 countries and hosting foreign journalists and influencers to safeguard Cyprus’s brand as a "safe and competitive" destination.

Our responsibility and duty, he added, "was to safeguard our country's air connectivity, the long-term partnerships with our country's strategic partners, but primarily, our country's excellent reputation as a safe and certainly competitive tourist destination."

Looking Toward the Future

Looking ahead, the Deputy Ministry remains "on alert," shifting its focus toward maximizing results for the second half of 2026. While the government works to minimize year-end losses, official preparations for the 2027 season are already underway, he remarked.

Source: CNA(ΚΥΠΕ)