Deputy Minister of Tourism Costas Koumis and Israeli Minister of Tourism Haim Katz, held a meeting in Israel, confirming the strong ties between the two countries that expand to the tourism sector.
Koumis, who is in Israel for the International Tourism Fair IMTM, said that "the Israeli market remains one of the most important tourism markets in our country. It is a market that has recorded rapid growth in recent years, essentially doubling arrivals in a six-year period".
According to an official press release, in the context of the Exhibition, he also met with Strategic Partners of Cyprus, setting as a priority the increase in arrivals during the winter period, as well as special forms of tourism.
"The ultimate goal now is to increase arrivals during the winter period, but also to strengthen tourist flows in relation to special forms of tourism," he added.
The press release says that in 2025 a historical record was recorded in tourist arrivals from Israel, exceeding half a million visitors for the first time. With a total of 588,000 arrivals in 2025, Israel ranks second in the relevant list of countries with the most arrivals, with the United Kingdom in first place. Compared to previous years, an increase of 38.4% was recorded compared to 2024 and 112.3% over a three-year period (2022-25).
Israel's contribution is also particularly significant in terms of revenue, with per capita visitor spending amounting to €682 for the period January-November 2025, recording an increase of 2.9% compared to last year and 13.4% over a three-year period (2022-25), the press release concludes.
(Source: CNA)
