Cyprus businesses want Russian tourists back, ambassador says

Russian ambassador to Cyprus Murat Zyazikov has claimed that European Union sanctions have resulted in an annual revenue loss of over €1 billion for the Cypriot economy due to the absence of Russian tourists..

“The loss of the Russian tourism market due to European Union restrictions has caused losses in Cyprus of more than €1 billion annually, according to experts,” said the Russian ambassador in comments to Russian news agency TASS.

“Tourists from the Russian Federation continue to be eagerly awaited in Cyprus,” he said.

“They are eagerly awaited by hotel owners, restaurant operators and other businesses in the services sector and leisure industry,” he added.

The ambassador said these businesses “sincerely wish for the return of a large flow of Russian tourists“.

“Both native Cypriots and more than 150,000 of our compatriots living on the island sincerely hope that in the near future direct flights between Cyprus and Russian cities will resume, and with them an intensive flow of Russian tourists will return to the island,” he said.

Zyazikov also stated that even under current conditions without direct flights, Cyprus remains a popular holiday destination for Russian citizens.

“The island continues to attract a growing number of visitors from our country,” he said.

He cited tourism statistics showing rising Russian arrivals, despite the absence of direct connections.

“If 48,000 Russians visited Cyprus for tourism purposes in 2024, then in 2025 it was already more than 64,000, and expert estimates predict a clear increase in the number of Russian tourist arrivals to the island based on the results of the current year,” he stated.