Cyprus achieved this year its best nine-month tourism performance on record, according to Deputy Minister of Tourism Kostas Koumis. Speaking on Saturday at the inauguration of the Cyprus Airways Flying Academy at Larnaca Airport, Koumis expressed optimism for continued success in 2024 and beyond.

“This year has marked the best nine months in the history of our tourism sector,” Koumis stated. He noted significant increases in both arrivals and revenue, especially given the challenges faced throughout the year.

“We started with negative indicators due to issues in the Eastern Mediterranean and the ongoing crisis affecting the aviation sector, as well as the economic conditions in Central and Western Europe. Despite this, we are extremely pleased with our tourism results so far,” he added.

When asked about the reasons behind this upswing, Koumis attributed it to the hard work of all stakeholders in tourism, including government bodies, the Deputy Ministry of Tourism, the Ministry of Transport, the airport management, and the broader tourism industry.

Looking ahead to the winter season, the Deputy Minister expects a slight increase in tourist numbers compared to last year, which saw a 7% rise. 

"If the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean were more stable, we could have anticipated a larger increase,” he noted. Koumis also mentioned that most tourist facilities in the country would remain open until at least until mid-November, something unusual for this time of the year.

Asked about the flight schedule for November, Koumis described it as robust, with 55 airlines operating routes to and from Cyprus across 39 different countries. Although recent events in neighbouring Israel have impacted the situation somewhat, he affirmed that the overall flight program remains in excellent condition.

Regarding the potential effects of the recent conflict between Israel and Iran on Cypriot tourism, Koumis remained optimistic.

“We’ve faced similar situations in the past few months, and the outcome has been positive. The tourism sector is performing well in 2024, and I believe we will see continued success in 2025,” he added.

When asked about the plans for the summer of 2025, he confirmed that preparations have been underway for several months, expressing his confidence that next year they will achieve better results than in 2024.