Israeli tourist flights to Cyprus are picking up after months of near-absence, but industry figures warn the damage to this year’s tourism season is already largely done, with losses forecast at around €700 million.
Haris Papacharalambous, president of the Cyprus Association of Travel and Tourist Agents (ACTTA), told Phileleftheros that flights from Israel have been rising for several days, driven primarily by the security situation in the region and the ceasefire between Israel, the United States, and Iran rather than simply the onset of summer.
He estimated the full-year drop in arrivals will be around 13%, translating to a loss of approximately €700 million — a significant blow both to the industry and to the broader economy.
Papacharalambous said the situation is expected to improve in the coming period but that last year’s figures will not be reached. Once tourists are lost, he said, they are not won back — meaning the real effort to recover the Israeli market will have to be directed at next year.
A check of the Hermes Airports website today, Tuesday, showed 13 flights from Israel arriving at Larnaca airport and six at Paphos. On Wednesday, 14 flights are scheduled to Larnaca and seven to Paphos.
Israel had been among Cyprus’s highest-spending tourist markets before arrivals collapsed following a drone incident at the British Bases in March. Industry professionals noted that while the large drop forecast in previous months is expected to narrow, recovery to last year’s levels remains out of reach.
The ceasefire that contributed to the renewed flights had been broken on several occasions, including in the past two days, the source noted, though hostilities remain at lower intensity than in the early stages of the conflict.
Blame for the slump
Papacharalambous said mishandling by all sides followed the British Bases drone incident, but placed significant responsibility on the media. He said the overreporting of certain incidents, the transmission of negative news, and the relaying of stories without fully verifying their scope and significance led to a large number of cancellations, with tourists choosing other destinations instead.
British market
British tourists — Cyprus’s largest single market — are returning strongly as the peak summer season begins, according to Hermes Airports data. Today, Tuesday, 12 flights from England are scheduled to Larnaca and 12 to Paphos. On Wednesday, 14 are due at Larnaca and 19 at Paphos.
Those figures cover England only and exclude Scotland and Wales. The high number of flights to Paphos is notable — it exceeds Larnaca on Wednesday — reflecting the strong preference of British tourists for that airport, with many having also purchased permanent residences in the province.