The number of people entering the north fell by 13.3 per cent in the first half of this year, with 1.98 million entries recorded by land, air, and sea compared with 2.28 million during the same period last year.

According to figures published on Monday by Turkish Cypriot newspaper Kibris Postasi, the data showed that total entries fell by 303,526 between January and June.

The sharpest decline was recorded at crossing points, where entries fell by 13.7 per cent from 2,121,216 to 1,829,954.

Entries from the government-controlled areas accounted for the largest share of crossings but fell by 16.5 per cent from 1,227,168 to 1,024,706.

Entries from the UK fell by 16.2 per cent to 95,695, while those from Greece declined by 17.3 per cent to 90,018.

Poland was among the countries recording an increase, with entries rising by 5 per cent to 69,772.

Germany also recorded an increase of 5.2 per cent at land crossings, reaching 70,035.

Foreign arrivals through airports and by ferry fell by 7.7 per cent, from 158,360 in the first half of 2025 to 146,096 this year.

Germany recorded the largest increase among air and sea arrivals, rising by 34.1 per cent from 16,453 to 22,063.

Russia remained one of the largest sources despite a 2.5 per cent decline, with 19,743 arrivals recorded.

Arrivals from the UK fell by 13 per cent to 9,546, while arrivals from Iran dropped by 42.3 per cent to 8,985.

Some European markets recorded much sharper declines, with arrivals from France falling by 79.3 per cent to 1,100, Belgium dropped by 78.8 per cent and Croatia by 76.3 per cent.

The figures were compiled from data from the general directorate of the police and the north’s ‘tourism planning department’.

The data covers entries rather than unique visitors, meaning the figures can include people making multiple crossings during the six-month period.