The rapid resumption of flight schedules to Cyprus by all European airlines is a sign of the international confidence and support that the country enjoys, Deputy Minister of Tourism Kostas Koumis told CNA on Friday.
He also said that despite the cancellations and slowdown in bookings recorded during this period, no airline or tour operator has considered reducing its programmes to the country for the coming summer and the following months.
Asked about the degree of impact on Cyprus’ air connectivity, Koumis said that it is well known that tourism is a sensitive economic activity and that whenever there are geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, but also more broadly in the Eastern Mediterranean region, the hospitality sector is also affected.
“As expected, the geopolitical crisis that erupted in our region also affected the flight schedules of airlines, especially in the early days. This was also the case on this occasion, and several airlines decided on Monday morning to cancel a series of scheduled flights,” he went on to say.
He added that now, four days later, “what is of paramount importance is not the decisions to cancel last Monday’s flights, but the fact that European airlines are resuming their flight schedules, something which is a vote of confidence in the Republic of Cyprus and Cyprus as a destination.”
According to Koumis, barring any unforeseen circumstances, almost all European airlines are expected to return by Sunday. Moreover, the Deputy Minister emphasized the importance of this rapid return, which is “a sign of the international confidence and support enjoyed by our country.”
“At the same time, you know very well that it is not easy for airlines from the Middle East to return. The positive thing is that most airlines are already resuming their flight schedules by the end of the week and our country is essentially connected to 33 countries. The exception, for obvious reasons, are airlines from Middle Eastern countries,” he added.
Responding to a question about cancellations of tourist bookings for Cyprus, the Deputy Minister said that cancellations are indeed being recorded, mainly for this period.
“People around the world are alarmed. At the same time, unfortunately, there has been a slowdown in bookings. However, I must note that no airline or tour operator has even considered reducing its operations to our country for the coming summer and the following months, demonstrating, as I mentioned earlier, their confidence in both the Republic of Cyprus and our country as a tourist destination,” he emphasized.
Asked how important the share of flights from Middle Eastern countries is for Cypriot tourism and how this gap can be filled, Koumis said that these are countries with which there has been direct connectivity for years, including the very important market of Israel for Cyprus, “a market from which tourist flows to our country are constantly increasing, which is also true for other markets, such as the United Arab Emirates. Certainly, all this is a very negative development, and we certainly hope that the whole situation will be reversed.”
Asked how the Deputy Ministry intends to convey the message that Cyprus remains a safe destination in international markets, Koumis said that the Deputy Ministry had already conveyed this message at all its meetings during the ITB international tourism exhibition, “an exhibition where we had the opportunity to talk to almost all of our country’s strategic partners, who naturally sought detailed information.”
He added that the Deputy Ministry of Tourism is monitoring developments minute by minute, assessing them on a daily basis, while at the same time maintaining constant communication with the tourism industry both inside and outside Cyprus.
“The most important thing in the days leading up to today, and today itself, was to get flight schedules back on track, an issue we are working on together with the airport management company. Beyond that, we have also planned a series of other actions that we believe will also be beneficial. It goes without saying that the course of tourism is influenced both by the duration and the escalation of geopolitical tensions,” he said.
Asked what he considers the most realistic scenario for the course of tourism in Cyprus in 2026 if the tension in the Middle East continues, the Deputy Minister said that at this point in time, any assessment is risky, as this is a geopolitical crisis unlike any other we have had to deal with in previous years.
“We are assessing developments on a daily basis and are in contact with all tourism stakeholders. We must remain optimistic and remember that tourism thrives in an environment of peace and trust. I repeat that it is too early to make any reliable assessments,” he concluded.
