Cyprus recorded 489,965 tourist arrivals in June 2026, marking a 1.6% increase over the 482,261 arrivals in June 2024 but a slight 1.7% decline compared to June 2025. The total number of visitors during the first half of 2026 reached 1,656,015, down 10.1% from 1,843,013 in the same period of 2025 but 1.65% higher than 1,652,475 arrivals in the first half of 2024. A notable driver of this performance was the sharp rise of Israeli tourists in June 2026.
June and First Half 2026 Tourist Arrival Details
In June 2026, Israeli tourist arrivals surged to 80,343, more than doubling the 30,246 arrivals recorded in June 2025. This represented
a 165.7% increase year-on-year and a 49.8% rise over May 2026 figures of 53,649 Israeli arrivals. Despite the June rebound, Israeli arrivals were down 8.6% in the January-June 2026 period, with 192,037 visitors compared to 210,220 in the same period of 2025.
The United Kingdom remained the largest source market for Cyprus tourism, with 539,415 arrivals in the first six months of 2026, showing a 13.8% decrease from 626,004 arrivals in the first half of 2025. Poland’s arrivals increased by 4.8% to 165,731 from 158,208, while Germany’s arrivals decreased 6.9% to 106,537 from 114,485. Greece accounted for 78,811 arrivals, down
7.5% from 85,224, and Sweden recorded 64,391 arrivals, a 3% decline compared to 66,394 in 2025.
Deputy Minister Kostas Koumis Comments on Tourism Recovery
Deputy Minister of Tourism Kostas Koumis described June 2026’s arrivals as confirming that Cyprus’ tourism has returned to a stable trajectory. He called the overall monthly performance “satisfactory under the given circumstances,” according to statements reported by www.cbn.com.cy. Koumis highlighted the recovery despite challenges in the region, underscoring a partial revival in the sector.
Impact of Middle East Situation and Role of Israeli Arrivals
The regional situation in the Middle East contributed to tourism declines in early 2026. However, the dynamic return of Israeli tourists in June significantly limited the losses Cyprus sustained. This
uptick in Israeli arrivals played an important role in counterbalancing declines from other markets and stabilizing the overall inbound tourism figures for the period.
Beyond the UK and Israel, Cyprus attracted tourists from 21 additional countries in the first half of 2026. Among these, Romania had 35,418 arrivals, Austria 28,519, Hungary 23,494, and France 22,970. Visitors from 13 countries did not register any arrivals during this period.
