UK travellers remain top source of airport traffic in Cyprus

Cyprus’ airports handled over 1.63 million passengers in July 2026, with passenger traffic narrowing its year-on-year decline to just 1 per cent as the recovery continued despite ongoing regional instability.

Specifically, a total of 1,635,055 passengers travelled through Larnaca and Paphos airports during the month, according to data published by Hermes Airports in its monthly bulletin.

The July figures represent a marked improvement from earlier in the year, with the operator saying the recovery seen in previous months continued despite challenges affecting the wider region.

Paphos airport recorded particularly strong growth, handling 7 per cent more passengers than in July 2025.

Hermes Airports attributed the increase to stronger connectivity at Paphos and a wider range of travel options available to passengers.

The overall picture for 2026 has also improved, with the gap in passenger traffic for the first seven months of the year narrowing to 3.7 per cent below the corresponding period of 2025.

Hermes Airports said the latest forecasts suggest that, provided geopolitical conditions in the region remain favourable, total passenger traffic for 2026 is expected to finish between 3 per cent and 5 per cent below last year’s level.

The latest airport figures come as Cyprus’ aviation and tourism sectors continue to recover from disruptions caused by regional instability earlier this year.

Cyprus’ airports are currently handling around 50,000 passengers and 325 flights every day at the height of the summer season, with Larnaca accounting for the larger share of traffic.

Hermes Airports director of aviation development, marketing and communications Maria Kouroupi said Larnaca airport was currently operating approximately 230 flights a day and handling around 36,000 arriving and departing passengers daily.

Paphos airport, meanwhile, is welcoming approximately 14,000 passengers a day across about 95 flights.

The figures were released as the road leading to the exits of Larnaca airport’s arrivals area was reopened to private vehicles following months of restricted access, in an effort to ease congestion during the peak summer period.

The recovery in passenger traffic comes against a more difficult backdrop for Cyprus’ tourism industry, which has been affected by the war in the Middle East and its impact on travel demand.

Tourism revenue fell by 4.8 per cent in May 2026, reaching €355.2 million compared with €373.3 million in May 2025, according to the Cyprus Statistical Service (Cystat).

For the first five months of the year, tourism revenue stood at an estimated €798.2m, down 16.5 per cent from €955.8m during the corresponding period of 2025.

Despite the decline in visitor numbers, average spending per tourist remained virtually unchanged, at €779.42 in May compared with €779.08 a year earlier.

The United Kingdom remained Cyprus’ largest tourism market in May, accounting for 36.3 per cent of all arrivals.

The British market also remains by far the largest source of passenger traffic through Cyprus’ airports, accounting for 23 per cent of total airport traffic during January-July 2026, according to Hermes Airports.

Greece ranked second with 17 per cent, followed by Israel with 10 per cent and Poland with 9 per cent.

Germany accounted for 5 per cent of traffic, while Romania, Austria and Armenia each represented 3 per cent.

Italy and Hungary each accounted for 2 per cent of passenger traffic during the seven-month period.

The airport figures also come as Cyprus’ hotel sector reports signs of stabilisation following the disruption experienced earlier in the year.

Hotel bookings have returned to a more normal pace, although August bookings remained around 10 per cent behind expectations, with operators relying on last-minute demand and discounts to support occupancy, according to tourism industry representatives.

Akis Vavlitis, president of the Association of Cyprus Tourist Enterprises (Stek), said that “some hotel units may be behind, but, in general, we are in a satisfactory state compared to the previous period”.

Vavlitis said cancellations were continuing but remained within normal levels, although some hotels in the Famagusta district could still be under greater pressure.

He also pointed to the improvement since the disruption experienced in March, saying that “the tourism industry, hoteliers and the government have done what is necessary to return the situation to some normality”.

However, he said concerns over developments in the Middle East had not disappeared, particularly because of Cyprus’ geographical proximity to the region.

“It is not easy to get rid of someone’s fear,” Vavlitis said.

The improved airport figures suggest that the recovery in air travel is continuing despite those concerns, although the sector remains exposed to any further deterioration in regional conditions.

Hermes Airports stressed that Cyprus’ air connectivity remains strong, with 54 airlines currently operating flights to and from Larnaca and Paphos airports.

Together, those airlines connect the island with 165 destinations across 42 countries, providing a broad network of routes as the peak summer travel period continues.

With July passenger traffic only marginally below the previous year and Paphos recording substantial annual growth, the latest data provide a more positive indication for the second half of 2026.

However, Hermes Airports’ forecast of a final annual decline of between 3 per cent and 5 per cent remains dependent on geopolitical conditions remaining favourable during the remainder of the year.