Cyprus recorded its highest-ever number of tourist arrivals for the January–April period, which the government described as ‘historic’, reinforcing efforts to establish the island as a year-round destination.
Speaking at a media briefing at the presidential palace on Tuesday, government spokesperson Konstantinos Letymbiotis said the latest figures from the Statistical Service confirm the strong trajectory of the tourism sector.
“For the month of April alone, arrivals exceeded 400,000 for the first time, a fact that confirms the momentum that our tourism sector is developing,” he said, calling the results “unprecedented”.
He linked the performance to “targeted policies, a strategic approach, and close cooperation between the public and private sectors”, adding that it is “the serious work that has been done through the implementation of the National Tourism Strategy, which yields measurable and impressive results”.
Yet he made clear that there is no room for complacency.
“On the contrary, it encourages us to further intensify efforts for qualitative upgrading, for further diversification of the tourism product, for attracting new markets, for sustainable development that respects the environment and strengthens local communities.”
Tourism, he continued, “is and will remain a pillar of our economy, and in this context we must build its future with vision, consistency and strategic planning”.
The numbers speak for themselves. Arrivals increased by 15.6 per cent compared to 2024, 17.5 per cent compared to 2023, 62 per cent compared to 2022, and 26 per cent compared to 2019, the last year before the pandemic.
According to Letymbiotis, this confirms not only a full recovery but a steadily upward course.
What is more, he said the gains are not limited to the summer season. “Tourist traffic is now substantially strengthened during the winter months, with an increase of 51 per cent on a three-year basis and an impressive increase of 122 per cent over a ten-year horizon for the period November – April.”
“This is a development that confirms that Cyprus is being led to establish itself as a year-round destination, with an offer that goes beyond the narrow limits of traditional summer tourism,” Letymbiotis concluded.
