Regional tension makes summer tourism forecasting difficult, Koumis warns

Cyprus has intensified its international tourism outreach as Deputy Tourism Minister Kostas Koumis held a series of high-level contacts in key tourism markets abroad, including a working visit to the United Kingdom that concluded on Monday.

The visit, which began on April 6, involved meetings with representatives of the tourism industry aimed at strengthening Cyprus’ presence in one of its most important markets.

Koumis has also recently engaged with journalists from across Europe who were hosted in Cyprus as part of efforts to promote the country’s tourism sector.

“The tourism activity in the country continues uninterrupted,” the Deputy Minister said, addressing foreign media representatives.

He used the meeting to outline the current state of Cyprus’ tourism sector and reinforce confidence in the destination.

“The reasons that have established Cyprus as such a popular destination are clear and enduring,” he said.

Meanwhile, Koumis carried out a working visit to Germany and Poland between March 31 and April 3, where he held further meetings with tourism industry stakeholders.

These engagements formed part of a broader strategy to maintain and expand Cyprus’ reach across major European markets.

At the same time, the Deputy Ministry of Tourism welcomed the launch of new routes by Discover Airlines, marking an important development in air connectivity to Cyprus.

The airline, which is part of the Lufthansa Group, will for the first time operate flights to Larnaca International Airport.

These routes will connect Larnaca with the major German hubs of Frankfurt and Munich, strengthening travel links between Cyprus and central Europe.

Koumis also delivered a clear message on Cyprus’ safety and readiness during a recent teleconference with members of the European Travel Agents’ and Tour Operators’ Associations (ECTAA) from across the continent.

“Cyprus is a safe destination, fully prepared to welcome millions of visitors as it does every year,” he said.

Speaking to journalists in London after meetings with Cyprus’ strategic partners, Koumis said that “the situation is not easy and requires dedication, weekly analyses and specific actions from the entire tourism sector, and if these are implemented, we can be cautiously optimistic”.

He explained that these meetings form part of a cycle of contacts in key markets aimed at assessing the progress of this year’s season and initiating actions that will support the development of Cypriot tourism.

The Deputy Minister acknowledged that the crisis in the Middle East has affected Cyprus and other destinations in the region.

He emphasised, however, that early indications, particularly from the British market, suggest that losses for Cyprus will be smaller than initially projected.

Focusing on May, he said that “despite the negative reports of recent weeks, tourism has not been lost“.

Clarifying that last year’s exceptional results, which set a historical record, are not expected to be repeated, he stressed that all signs indicate Cyprus will maintain its dynamic presence in the international tourism market.

Regarding the summer season, Koumis stated that “forecasts remain difficult“, largely depending on the evolution and duration of geopolitical tensions.

He highlighted that major tour operators are largely maintaining their programmes for Cyprus, which he described as particularly significant.

At the same time, he called April a critical month for shaping demand, as it will largely determine the course of this year’s tourism season.

Moreover, Koumis underlined the need for continuous data monitoring and the implementation of coordinated actions by the entire tourism sector.

On immediate support measures to minimise tourism losses, he said decisions have already been taken to promote Cyprus as a tourist destination, while journalists and influencers from various countries have been invited to experience Cyprus first-hand.

He added that “these promotional actions will continue in the coming months“.

The minister also stressed that “managing this year requires dedication and systematic analysis of data even daily, as the tourism environment remains complex and volatile”.

At the moment, it is hard to refute the fact that the island’s tourism sector has been heavily disrupted by regional events, with the country’s image dented in the eyes of prospective visitors, despite all evidence pointing to the fact that Cyprus remains safe.

Hermes Airports on Tuesday reported a significant 15.3 per cent decline in air passenger traffic for March 2026 as the ongoing Middle East crisis and the war in Iran disrupted regional travel.

This sharp downturn marks a stark reversal from the record-breaking growth seen in previous months, highlighting the immediate sensitivity of the Cypriot tourism sector to geopolitical instability.

Total passenger traffic fell to 599,218 travellers in March 2026, compared with 707,204 during the same month last year.

At Larnaca Airport, the impact was most pronounced with a 17.1 per cent drop to 415,686 passengers.

Paphos Airport proved slightly more resilient but still recorded a 10.7 per cent decrease, handling 183,532 travellers.