Tourism in Cyprus on the decline: sharp drop in March

Cyprus' tourism industry faced a notable downturn in March 2026, with arrivals decreasing by 30.7% compared to the same period last year. According to official data, the island welcomed 139,198 tourists, down from 200,736 in March 2025.

Despite the decline, the United Kingdom remains the largest source of tourists, accounting for nearly a third of all arrivals. It is followed by Poland, Germany, and Greece. However, the flow of tourists from Israel has virtually collapsed—a decrease of 94.6%, which was a key factor in the overall drop.

The reduction affected other markets as well: the number of tourists from the UK fell by a quarter, and from Poland by more than 11%, while Germany showed a relatively moderate decrease.

The main purpose of travel remains holidays, with nearly two-thirds of tourists visiting the island for this reason. The rest visit the country to see relatives or for business purposes.

The overall decrease in March also affected first-quarter figures: for the first three months of 2026, the number of tourists decreased by 8.8% compared to last year.

At the same time, the number of trips abroad by Cyprus residents also fell by 8.8%. Most traveled for leisure, with the most popular destinations remaining Greece, the United Kingdom, Italy, and Germany.

Thus, after a period of growth, the Cypriot tourism sector has faced a new wave of decline, which could impact the industry's economic prospects in the coming months.