Israel overtook the United Kingdom as the primary source of tourism for Cyprus in December 2025, according to the latest figures from the Statistical Service.
While the British market has traditionally maintained an unchallenged lead, Israeli arrivals accounted for 19.1% of the monthly total, narrowly edging out the UK’s 19%. The shift comes amidst a broader 18% year-on-year increase in total arrivals, which reached 156,959 during the final month of the year.
The temporary displacement of the UK market is attributed in part to the intense competition for winter holidaymakers. Many British travellers reportedly opted for domestic staycations or flocked to major central European festive hubs such as Vienna and Strasbourg. Despite this, the overall health of the sector remains robust, with cumulative arrivals for the full year of 2025 climbing to 4,534,073—a 12.2% increase over the previous year—while revenues for the first 10 months of the year reached an estimated €3.43 billion.
The data also highlights the success of strategic efforts to diversify the island’s tourism base. Germany, identified by authorities as a key growth market, saw a remarkable 53.5% surge in arrivals compared to December 2024. Similarly, Poland solidified its position as the third-largest market with a 42.5% increase, while French arrivals grew by 55.6%. However, this growth was tempered by a notable decline in the Scandinavian market; Norwegian arrivals plummeted by 33.2%, and Danish visitors decreased by 2.8%, indicating a shift in preference for northern travellers.
Tourism officials noted a significant change in the purpose of travel during the festive period. Over 56% of visitors arrived for holidays, up from 49.6% in the previous December, while visits to friends and relatives accounted for 32%.
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