The expected decrease of tourist revenue of 35.1% in April 2026 compared to April last year in terms of revenue, compared to April 2025, is significantly due to the developments in the Middle East region, Deputy Minister of Tourism Kostas Koumis, has said.
He emphasised at the same time that the government and the Deputy Ministry have taken actions, timely, aimed at reducing losses and reversing the negative condition.
In a written statement following the released of figures by CySTAT, Koumis said that basically the month of April followed the situation of March ''a period that, as is known, was significantly affected by the conflict in the Middle East region.''
He recalled that April last year was the best in the history of Cyprus tourism, as tourism exceeded 400,000 arrivals for the first time. He went on to say that April 2026 is a month affected, inter alia, by the conflict in the Middle East, intense negative international publicity and reduced flight schedules.
The Deputy Minister also recalled in his statement that during April a debate took place on the ''so-called Jet Fuel Crisis'', i.e. the negative discussion regarding aircraft fuel, with the main element of discussion being fuel reserves in Europe. He said that this discussion caused impact on the European tourism economy, an additional uncertainty and a decrease in the rate of bookings.
Among the actions the government took, the Deputy Minister recalled that foreign journalists and influencers were hosted on the island in an attempt to promote tourism, adding that Cyprus is a safe destination.
Koumis went on to say that the improvement in numbers and figures that followed, proves that the measures taken had a positive effect.
CySTAT figures
A significant decrease, for the second consecutive month, by 35.1%, was recorded in tourism revenues in April 2026, compared to last April, due to the decrease in tourist arrivals as a result of the war in Iran, according to figures published Monday by CySTAT.
In the first four months, the decrease in revenue amounts to 23.9%, compared to the first four months of 2025.
Based on the results of the Traveler Survey, tourism revenue in April 2026 amounted to €197.5 million, compared to €304.2 million in the corresponding month of 2025. It is noted that tourist arrivals in April had decreased by 27.6%, on an annual basis, and in March by 30.7%.
According to CySTAT, the decrease in tourism revenues in March had reached 33.8%, compared to March 2025. In contrast, in the first two months of 2026, January and February, before the start of the war in Iran, tourism revenues had increased by 7.8% and 7.0%, respectively.
CySTAT said that for the period January - April 2026, tourism revenues are estimated at €443.0 million compared to €582.5 million in the corresponding period in 2025, recording a decrease of 23.9%.
Furthermore, per capita tourist expenditure in April 2026 amounted to €651.77 compared to €726.42 in April 2025, recording a decrease of 10.3%.
According to CySTAT, tourists from the United Kingdom (the largest tourist market with 39.2% of all tourists in April 2026) spent an average of €86.43 per day, while Polish tourists (the second largest tourist market in that month with 8.4% of the total) spent an average of €81.89.
German tourists (third largest market with 8.0%) spent €85.99 per day.
(Source: CNA)
