Tourist arrivals in Cyprus totaled 581,880 in August 2026, marking a 3.3% decrease from 602,026 arrivals recorded in August 2025, according to figures released by the Cyprus Government. For the eight-month period from January to August 2026, total arrivals fell 7.0% to 2,820,649 compared with 3,034,155 in the same period in 2025. Meanwhile, resident returns to Cyprus from trips abroad slightly increased by 0.3%, reaching 239,337 in August 2026 compared to 238,740 the previous year.
Tourist and Resident Origin Countries
Visitors from the United Kingdom accounted for the largest share of tourists in August 2026, representing 30.5% with 177,603 arrivals. Israel was the second-largest source
market with 23.3% (135,628), followed by Poland at 6.3% (36,622), Germany at 4.4% (25,823), and Sweden at 3.0% (17,441). For resident returns, Greece was the primary destination of travel, making up 36.6% of returns with 87,684 individuals, followed by the United Kingdom with 6.9% (16,448), Italy at 4.6% (11,054), Poland at 4.3% (10,408), and Russia at 4.2% (10,021).
Travel Purpose Distribution
In August 2026, 84.5% of tourists arrived in Cyprus for holiday purposes, 13.0% traveled to visit friends and relatives, and 2.4% came for business. This contrasts with August 2025, when 86.5% traveled for holidays, 11.4% for visiting friends and relatives, and 2.1%
for business. On the residents’ side, 93.1% returned for holidays, 5.9% for business, 0.8% for studies, and 0.2% for other reasons.
Data Collection and Definitions
The data were sourced from passenger surveys conducted at Larnaka and Pafos airports and supplemented with administrative records, including port arrivals, as reported by the Civil Aviation Department and the Cyprus Police. The statistics cover travelers in the government-controlled areas and exclude those arriving or departing illegally through occupied territory ports and airports. The term “tourist arrivals” refers to trips made and not individual persons, as one person may take multiple trips within the reported period. Residents are defined
as persons residing or intending to reside in Cyprus for at least 12 months prior to travel.
