Cyprus aims for year-round tourism as sector faces new tests

Cyprus’ tourism sector in 2025 is expected to perform similarly to the levels recorded in 2024, according to the president of the Cyprus hoteliers association (Pasyxe) Thanos Michaelides.

In an interview with the Cyprus News Agency (CNA), Michaelides explained that “there is potential for this year’s performance to slightly exceed last year’s levels, but uncertainty remains due to unexpected geopolitical developments during the season”.

“There is a prospect to move slightly ahead of 2024, but we still do not have a more specific outlook of the situation, because the season had some unpredictable geopolitical developments that individually created some challenges,” he stated.

Michaelides stressed the importance of November for the sector, noting that if the month performs in line with the summer season, it can help extend hotel operations.

He added that a key objective “remains the establishment of year-round tourism across Cyprus, ensuring more stable hotel operations and greater sustainability in the hospitality industry”.

Asked about how Cyprus’ tourism product can be upgraded, he said that improvements are needed across all aspects, including hotel services, the environment in tourist areas, and accessibility to archaeological sites.

“What must be examined is how to develop the character of Cyprus,” he said.

Regarding tourist markets, Michaelides said that the United Kingdom holds the leading position, followed by Israel, Poland, Germany and a number of other countries with smaller shares.

He pointed out that one of the association’s main goals is to strengthen tourism between November and April, saying that there is considerable room for improvement in arrivals and opportunities to attract visitors from new markets.

Asked about placing people at the centre of tourism, Michaelides said this requires education and training for those working in hotels.

On the challenges faced by the industry this year, he referred again to geopolitical developments.

“You expect them, but unfortunately you cannot control them,” he said.

Michaelides also acknowledged improvements in securing the necessary workforce, but said that the issue “remains a concern and requires continuous attention“, since it is critical for hotel operations.

Additionally, he stated that water scarcity continues to be a challenge for the sector.

Asked whether tourism today differs from past decades, Michaelides said that travellers now have far more information about destinations.

He explained that this allows visitors to make specialised searches and arrive in Cyprus well prepared, often planning their holidays and visits based on their own interests.

What is the current state of Cypriot tourism?

Tourism revenue in Cyprus reached almost €2 billion in the first seven months of 2025, marking a strong year for the sector despite geopolitical challenges.

Specifically, tourism revenue was estimated to have reached €1.89 billion between January to July 2025.

The latest figures from the state statistical service also showed that per capita spending by visitors increased, suggesting that higher-quality tourism is contributing significantly to revenue growth.

Moreover, the average length of stay increased slightly from 8.9 nights to 9.0 nights year on year.

Meanwhile, Cyprus’ airports reached record-breaking levels of passenger traffic in August, with a combined 1.8 million travellers recorded at Larnaca and Paphos.

According to figures released by Hermes Airports, this marked an increase from 1.6 million passengers during the same month in 2024.

The data also showed that for the fifth month in a row, traffic across the island’s airports exceeded the one million passenger mark during August.

Furthermore, honorary president of the Association of Cyprus Travel Agents Victor Mantovani previously said that September was shaping up to be the strongest one for tourist arrivals in Cyprus in recent memory.

He added that early signs and bookings for October were also highly encouraging, with Larnaca and other destinations reporting robust demand.