Cyprus tourism revenue grew 7.4% in the first two months of 2026 compared with the same period last year, according to data from the Statistical Service, though the figures predate the outbreak of the Iran war that has since hit the sector hard.
The Travel Survey results show revenue reached €159.9 million in January-February 2026, up from €148.9 million in the same period of 2025. In February alone, revenue stood at €85.3 million, a 7% increase on the €79.7 million recorded in February 2025.
The revenue growth coincided with a rise in arrivals. Tourist arrivals increased 8.5% in January 2026 compared with January 2025, and 9.5% in February 2026 compared with February 2025.
Per capita tourist spending fell, however. Average spend per tourist in February 2026 was €581.85, down from €595.71 in February 2025, a decline of 2.3%.
The United Kingdom remained Cyprus’s largest tourism market in February 2026, accounting for 19.3% of total arrivals, with British visitors spending an average of €72.72 per day. Poland was the second largest market at 18.4% of arrivals, with Polish tourists spending an average of €75.02 daily. Israel ranked third at 12.6% of arrivals, with Israeli tourists recording the highest daily spend among the three main markets at €157.15.
The positive figures contrast sharply with conditions since the conflict began. The US and Israel launched attacks on Iran on February 28, just as Cyprus’s tourism season was reopening. On March 2, a drone struck the British base at Akrotiri in the first strike on European territory linked to the conflict, triggering a wave of cancellations. Hotel bookings for March fell by nearly 40%, with short-term rental cancellation rates spiking to as high as 100% in the days immediately after the strike, according to Reuters. The Cyprus Hotels Association has since reported summer hotel occupancy running at 40-50%, compared with 75% at the same point last year.
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