The current crisis facing tourism has made the case for extending the tourist season clearer than ever, with the months from November to March increasingly becoming part of Cyprus's tourism offering. Establishing Cyprus as a year-round destination has been a long-standing aim of the tourism industry for decades, with stakeholders arguing it would bring significant benefits to the economy.
To mark 20 years since it took over management of the island's airports, Hermes Airports has published a special report titled "The Benefits of Sustainable, Year-Round Tourism," gathering views from across the tourism industry on the advantages of extending the season. The report also sets out the obstacles standing in the way of year-round tourism and makes policy recommendations to the government.
Contributors include Deputy Tourism Minister Costas Koumis, former deputy tourism minister Savvas Perdios, the hotel associations Pasyxe and Stek, Hermes Airports and the Cyprus Association of Travel Agents. The mayors of all major towns, the island's six Tourism Development and Promotion Companies (Etaps), and a range of other industry associations and organisations also contributed their views.
'Planning for the future is our responsibility'
Planning for the future of year-round tourism "is our responsibility," said Deputy Tourism Minister Costas Koumis, noting that performance during the shoulder months has improved significantly, while the state has announced incentive schemes aimed at boosting niche forms of tourism.
"We need professional presentation and continuous content production to build strong narratives around Cyprus as a year-round destination," he said, alongside "investment in sustainable development, digital transformation, and the elements of authenticity and excellent hospitality."
Establishing Cyprus as a year-round destination has been a long-standing goal of those working in the industry for decades, he said in an interview. "It was never going to be easy, and it cannot happen overnight," he stressed. It requires several stages to be completed, or at least to show significant improvement, including better air connectivity, infrastructure and performance in certain markets.
Koumis added that Cyprus needs to invest further in niche forms of tourism, enrich individual destinations, and above all make a collective, conscious decision to operate destinations year round.
Asked about the main obstacles to developing year-round tourism in Cyprus, he said the most significant problem is the entrenched culture of an eight to nine month working season. "In some cases, the layout of certain destinations, such as their distance from urban centres, becomes a major weakness during periods of low demand, along with a lack of supporting infrastructure. That is why we insist that winning the tourism bet requires designing and successfully implementing horizontal policies," he said.
"Transforming our country into a year-round tourist destination is a priority for the deputy ministry of tourism, and we have already announced incentive schemes aimed at boosting niche forms of tourism," he said, adding that positive results are already visible in sports tourism and other thematic forms of tourism such as conference tourism.
According to Koumis, close cooperation between the private and public sectors is key to upgrading the tourism product and promoting the destination. "Continuously improving the country's winter connectivity, upgrading infrastructure and promoting our destinations are just some of the areas where public-private cooperation is essential," he said.
Former deputy tourism minister Savvas Perdios said the benefits of establishing Cyprus as a year-round destination would be wide ranging, including the possibility of 12 month employment for people working in tourism, with a positive impact on keeping local communities alive during the winter months and boosting the economy through increased local demand and consumption. He said particularly significant benefits are expected for areas that have so far struggled to attract tourists, such as the inland, mountainous and remote areas, since these already offer many of the qualities winter travellers look for: culture, nature, gastronomy and authentic experiences. According to Perdios, climate change will, by necessity, push Cyprus towards year-round tourism as the only viable path forward.
Hermes
In her introductory remarks, Hermes Airports' director of aviation development, marketing and communications, Maria Kouroupi, said the world around us is changing rapidly, creating new realities, and that both the aviation and tourism industries now operate in a highly dynamic environment in which adaptability and constant alertness are key conditions for success.
She noted that recent years have seen an increase, including in Cyprus, in travellers who prefer to move at their own pace and discover a destination through immersive experiences, seeking variety, quality entertainment and moments that become stories they want to share with friends.
At the same time, sustainability is becoming a decisive factor for the future of tourism. "The need to protect the environment and strengthen local communities is no longer a choice but a necessity, one that also creates significant opportunities to diversify the tourism product. Climate change is already affecting our region, making the development of tourism beyond peak periods essentially the only way to maintain competitiveness," she said.
"Cyprus has everything it needs to respond to these challenges year round: unique landscapes, modern infrastructure, easy accessibility, and people with talent, creativity and authenticity. Highlighting these elements and connecting them to the visitor experience can create a multidimensional narrative that stays with visitors even after they leave the island. From mountain villages and nature trails to urban centres and cultural sites, Cyprus can offer a rich canvas of experiences 365 days a year," she said.
"At Hermes Airports, our commitment to strengthening year-round tourism is central to our strategy. Air connectivity is one of the most decisive factors for the development of any destination, and over the past ten years Cyprus's connectivity has improved significantly thanks to targeted partnerships, systematic efforts and our ongoing work to encourage activity throughout the year," she added.
"We want a Cyprus that can offer experiences 12 months a year. A Cyprus that is not confined to summer but reveals its character in every season, in its villages, mountains, towns, nature trails and cultural sites. A Cyprus that brings together tradition and innovation, growth and sustainability, and economic progress with social wellbeing. A destination where the visitor experience is shaped not only by infrastructure but, above all, by our people, because the human factor is always the soul of a successful destination," said Kouroupi.
Hermes Airports' chief executive officer, Eleni Kalogirou, said establishing Cyprus as a year-round destination is a necessity. Growth in winter tourism, she said, will bring even greater air connectivity, with new winter routes and increased frequencies on existing flights. "We need to focus on creating a destination that meets demand for leisure travel independent of the traditional summer experience," she observed.
Pasyxe, Stek, Pasydixe
Pasyxe's director general, Christos Angelides, said establishing Cyprus as a year-round destination is a strong incentive for retaining and developing local talent and for the sustainability of the industry.
According to Angelides, the most significant obstacles to developing year-round tourism are the lack of specialised infrastructure, particularly in tourist areas, both coastal and mountainous. On niche tourism, he pointed to significant scope for growth in cultural tourism, particularly if linked to gastronomy and local wine production, while agrotourism and the development of mountain resorts could also act as drivers of 12 month tourism. He argued the state should intervene positively, at least for a transitional period of five to ten years, with targeted tax incentives and other support for businesses that maintain year-round operations.
Stek president Akis Vavlitis said establishing Cyprus as a year-round destination has been a strategic necessity for decades for the sustainability and resilience of the tourism industry. Seasonality, he stressed, remains the most damaging structural problem facing Cypriot tourism, with serious consequences for employment, business sustainability, the national economy and competitiveness. Developing a diversified and resilient tourism product is a collective responsibility, he said, adding that alternative forms of tourism help reduce seasonality.
Acta president Haris Papacharalambous said Cyprus lacks a clear vision and a long-term development plan backed by incentives, noting the need for greater market diversification and a stronger focus on alternative tourism that respects the environment and centres on unique experiences. Year-round tourism, he said, would have both direct and indirect benefits for Cyprus's competitiveness, connectivity, staffing shortages and the quality of services.
Pasydixe chief executive Marios Ellinas said public-private cooperation is crucial, stressing that investment in human resources and ongoing dialogue are essential incentives for extended operations.
Pasika secretary general Fanos Leventis argued that the national tourism strategy needs to be redesigned around sustainability, climate change and respect for natural resources. "Establishing Cyprus as a year-round destination cannot be a theoretical or vague ambition," he said, but rather an urgent necessity with multiple benefits that could lead to the gradual revival of authentic Cypriot hospitality.
The president of the Cyprus Association of Self-Catering Accommodation, Constantinos Karakontis, described extending the tourist season as a strategic opportunity. "I envision a visitor who chooses our island 365 days a year, not just for the weather but for the quality of our services and the authenticity of the experience we offer," he said.
The commissioner for the development of mountain communities, Charalambos Christofinas, said extending the tourist season "helps diversify and strengthen the tourism product, stabilise economic activity, ensure the sustainable use of natural and cultural resources, and boost local entrepreneurship."
Local authorities
Larnaca mayor Andreas Vyras said Cyprus needs to create an attractive, diversified tourism product backed by solid infrastructure. Challenges, he noted, include reduced air connectivity during the winter months and the need to improve infrastructure for alternative forms of tourism. Larnaca, he said, is pursuing recycling and green infrastructure projects and protecting natural ecosystems to ensure climate change does not diminish the city's appeal.
Paralimni-Deryneia mayor Yiorgos Nikolettos said the success of year-round tourism depends on strong, substantive public-private partnerships. Joint planning and coordination, along with a clear vision, are essential, he said, adding that only through such cooperation can Cyprus shape a competitive and sustainable tourism model.
Limassol mayor Yiannis Armeftis said Cyprus has everything it needs to become a competitive year-round destination, arguing that a longer tourist season would benefit local communities, support sustainable development and showcase the island's cultural, natural and gastronomic offerings.
Ayia Napa mayor Christos Zannetou said establishing Cyprus as a year-round destination is emerging as a strategic choice of national importance, with implications that go beyond the narrow definition of the tourism sector. "Systematic support for local businesses, family run accommodation and agrotourism units strengthens the experiential dimension of tourism and ensures that economic benefits are spread throughout the local community," he said.
Nicosia mayor Charalambos Prountzos described establishing the capital as a year-round destination as a strategic priority of both national and municipal importance. He said that, with the right state priorities and planning, Nicosia could double its share of overnight stays within three years, and that building a modern conference and exhibition centre could add more than €200 million a year to the city's economy.
Etaps
Theodoros Kriggou, president of the Nicosia Etap, said year-round tourism creates more stable jobs, supports small and medium sized businesses and reduces sharp seasonal fluctuations.
Andreas Tsouloftas, president of the Limassol Etap, said Cyprus can become a year-round destination by making the most of its climate, nature, culture, technology and the active participation of local communities.
Sports, cultural, religious and conference tourism are all areas with real potential for Cyprus, said Dinos Lefkaritis, president of the Larnaca Etap.
Pafos Etap president Michalis Mitas said shifting demand towards spring and autumn, along with investment in green infrastructure, could turn the challenge of climate change into an opportunity.
The involvement of local communities is key to creating authentic experiences that connect tourism with the identity and life of a place, said Famagusta Etap officer Yiorgos Kafkalias.
Troodos Etap officer Constantinos Constantinou noted that mountain and rural areas currently account for just 2% of overnight stays by foreign tourists. Developing year-round tourism, he said, would boost the local economy, particularly in rural areas, while also helping to improve tourism infrastructure and service quality at businesses in mountainous regions, with potential for new jobs.
Cyprus should not rely on a price war, said Filippos Drousiotis, executive president of the Cyprus Sustainable Tourism Association, stressing that the answer lies in diversification and a shift towards a sustainable, experience based, year-round tourism model.
The Cyprus Association of Tourist Guides, represented by its president Lelia Mylona, envisions redistributing tourist flows throughout the year, an upgraded tourism product geared towards visitors with specific interests, a rethink of the goal of continuously increasing arrivals, which risks causing overtourism and a chain of related problems, and the consolidation of sustainable tourism that respects monuments, people and the character of the destination while making rational use of natural resources.
Environment and Animal Welfare Commissioner Antonia Theodosiou said year-round tourism could bring significant benefits if properly planned and made conditional on sustainability. "This requires assessing the carrying capacity of each area and, overall, ensuring the resilience of infrastructure, conditions, services and society, along with a shift towards low impact forms of tourism, such as regenerative tourism," she said.
Sharp rise in passenger traffic
According to figures cited by Hermes, winter passenger traffic (November to March) has risen sharply, up 36% since 2022, or 940,000 passengers. It reached 3.55 million during the November 2025 to March 2026 period, an annual increase of 13% from 3.15 million (up 7.5%) in the 2024-2025 winter period, and 2.61 million in the 2022-2023 winter period.
Of arrivals, 39% had visited Cyprus one or two times during the winter period, 38% were first time visitors, and 23% were frequent visitors. 62% of winter passenger traffic was made up of people aged 45 or under.
