UK remains largest source market despite steep decline, while arrivals from Israel jump 28% amid regional turmoil
Tourist arrivals to Cyprus fell for the eighth consecutive month in August, according to figures released by the island’s Statistical Service, with the year-to-date total now down 7% compared with the same period in 2025.
The data showed 581,880 tourist arrivals in August 2026, down 3.3% on the 602,026 recorded in August 2025. For the January-to-August period as a whole, arrivals totalled 2,820,649, compared with 3,034,155 a year earlier.
The UK remained by far the largest source of visitors, accounting for 30.5% of all arrivals in August, despite British arrivals falling 8% year-on-year to 177,603. Israel was the second-largest market, with 135,628 arrivals — a rise of 28.4% on the previous year that made it the standout exception in an otherwise declining picture. Poland, Germany and Sweden rounded out the top five source markets, though all recorded falls of between 6% and 13%.
The steepest declines came from France, where arrivals nearly halved, dropping 46% year-on-year to 8,453, and Austria, down 13%. Romania, the Netherlands and Poland also posted double-digit falls.
The vast majority of visitors — 84.5% — travelled to Cyprus for holidays in August, though this proportion continued a gradual decline seen over recent years, down from 86.5% in August 2025 and 87.3% in August 2024. The share of visitors travelling to see friends or relatives rose correspondingly, from 11.4% to 13% year-on-year.
Separately, the data showed outbound travel by Cyprus residents edged up slightly, with 239,337 trips abroad recorded in August, a rise of 0.3% on the previous year. Greece remained by far the most popular destination for Cypriot travellers, accounting for 36.6% of outbound trips, followed by the UK, Italy, Poland and Russia. The vast majority of these trips — 93.1% — were for holiday purposes.
The figures are compiled from passenger surveys conducted at Larnaca and Paphos airports, supplemented by administrative data from ports, and cover all individuals passing through passport control in the areas controlled by the Republic of Cyprus.
