Newsroom
Despite the ongoing unrest in the Middle East, Cyprus’ tourism sector is proving both vulnerable and resilient, as a surge in advance bookings acts as a safety net for hoteliers and travel operators.
According to industry officials, while tensions between Israel and Iran have caused a slight slowdown in bookings, particularly from the Israeli and some European markets, the impact has been minimal so far. Hoteliers report that cancellations are in the single digits, and most losses are being offset by high volumes of pre-booked reservations.
The Israeli market, which has long been a top contributor to Cyprus tourism, has taken a temporary hit due to flight suspensions and the ongoing conflict. However, bookings for later in the summer are already picking back up, and experts believe the market will recover quickly once hostilities subside. In 2024, Israeli tourists made up 426,000 arrivals, spending more per capita than any other nationality.
Some European travelers have also canceled July plans, but many of these bookings were made through platforms that allow free cancellation, meaning tourists may simply rebook later. Meanwhile, no flight cancellations to Cyprus have been reported.
Tourism authorities say international travel agents remain confident in Cyprus as a destination. Campaigns by the Deputy Ministry of Tourism continue to promote the island’s image online, while agents are sticking to their scheduled travel packages.
Deputy Minister of Tourism Costas Koumis remains optimistic, projecting another record-breaking year. From January to May 2025, tourist arrivals rose by nearly 15% compared to the same period last year, and revenue jumped 24% in the first quarter. Officials say that barring any new crises, 2025 could outpace even the landmark year of 2019.
