Cyprus’ tourism industry received signals of cautious optimism at the World Travel Market (WTM) London, Europe’s largest tourism exhibition. This indicates that Cypriot tourism remains on a trajectory of strong performance.
The messages received by the Cypriot tourism industry at the World Travel Market (WTM) London 2025, Europe’s largest tourism exhibition, paint a picture of stability. This means that Cypriot tourism will continue on a path of high performance.
This October was the best on record, with more than 500,000 arrivals, a development that signals the qualitative expansion of the tourism season.
Specifically, in October 2025, arrivals exceeded 537,744, an increase of 17.1% compared with October 2024 and 34.2% over a three-year horizon. October’s results also make the ten-month performance (4,142,534 visitors) the best in the history of Cypriot tourism, with an increase of 11.1% compared with 2024 and 40.8% over three years.
“It is important for the shoulder months to gain, through their performance, a dynamic that gives them a permanent summer character, allowing destinations and tourism businesses to remain open for longer. Of course, it also depends on the entrepreneurs themselves to evaluate the new conditions in tourism and make their decisions,” commented the Deputy Minister of Tourism, Kostas Koumis.
The Director General of Cyprus Hotel Association PASYXE, Christos Angelides, said on the “Show me the money” programme on Politis 107.6 & 97.6 that 2025 is an excellent year. “We have worked very hard after the Covid pandemic on issues of quality, renovations, and marketing in order to achieve this. As for 2026, the estimates from the World Travel Market indicate optimism, with some reservations from certain UK travel agents, who believe that upcoming tax changes will affect purchasing power. The budget is under review and there is no clear picture yet. Germany is facing similar issues.”
Trends
Regarding industry trends, WTM highlighted the steady growth of the sector. Indicative of the sector’s dynamism is that this year’s WTM was the largest in its 45-year history, with 46,500 visitors, 5,500 pre-selected buyers, and more than 4,100 exhibitors from 182 countries.
The global tourism product exceeds $11 trillion in value, corresponding to 10% of global GDP. The average annual growth rate is projected at 3.5% until 2035, surpassing the growth rate of the global economy. This marks not only a recovery but also the long-term preservation of tourism’s momentum, despite geopolitical and economic challenges in certain regions such as North America.
At WTM London 2025, particular emphasis was placed on new forms of tourism, such as “slow tourism,” which focuses on high-quality and authentic experiences, as well as on sustainability. Destinations like Greece promote “slow living” and experiential travel, while Egypt presented major new projects such as the Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo. Environmental protection and social inclusion were key pillars in discussions and new investment models. Among the standout trends is the increasing role of cultural and music events, which can attract tourists during periods of low demand, boosting the local economy.