Travel Expo Cyprus ’26 opened on Friday against a backdrop of cautious optimism for the upcoming tourism season, tempered by growing concern over the impact of the crisis in the Middle East.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Minister of Energy, Commerce and Industry Michalis Damianos reaffirmed the government’s support for the tourism sector through the Deputy Ministry of Tourism. At the same time, travel agents voiced dissatisfaction over the industry’s exclusion from state support measures linked to the regional crisis.
Damianos said Cyprus remains a priority destination for airlines, tour operators and travellers, stressing that the government continues to strengthen the country’s tourism product with consistency and strategic planning. He reiterated that Cyprus “was, is and will remain a safe and attractive destination”.
The exhibition, hosted at the Cyprus State Fair in Nicosia from 17 to 19 April, features travel destinations, holiday packages and organised excursions both abroad and domestically. It brings together tour operators, airlines, hotels and resorts, with participation from countries including Greece and Poland, highlighting the sector’s broad and multi‑dimensional character.
According to the Association of Cyprus Travel and Tourist Agents (ACTTA), vice‑president Pambos Charalambous said that despite the difficult conditions created by the geopolitical crisis, this year’s Travel Expo is significantly upgraded and continues to attract thousands of visitors.
Charalambous noted that outbound travel by Cypriots reached 1.96 million trips in 2025, up 11.9 percent year on year. He said the positive momentum carried into the first two months of 2026, boosted by expectations linked to Cyprus’s Presidency of the Council of Europe.
However, he said the war in the Middle East altered the outlook, triggering booking cancellations and a freeze in new reservations during what is normally the peak booking period. He warned that prolonged instability beyond April would create far more challenging conditions for the economy, particularly tourism.
Charalambous also expressed “great surprise and disappointment” that the travel sector was excluded from government economic support plans, calling for timely and coordinated state action to safeguard Cyprus’s image, manage transport and energy disruptions, and maintain effective international communication.
In a separate address, Greek Ambassador to Cyprus Konstantinos Kollias said Cyprus and Greece remain among Europe’s key tourism destinations. He noted that more than 600,000 Cypriots visit Greece each year, reflecting the close ties between the two countries, and expressed optimism for the new tourism season in both.
Source: CNA