Cyprus’ Deputy Minister of Tourism Costas Koumis sought to play down a 4.9 per cent year-on-year dip in May visitor numbers, stressing on Friday that the decline remains within the ministry’s tolerance band and is “similar to 2024 levels”. He disclosed the figures after meeting Kuwait’s ambassador Abdullah Alturki, where the two announced the resumption of direct flights between Kuwait and Larnaca this summer. Behind the modest fall lie multiple headwinds that have dog-eared Mediterranean tourism this year: high air-fares following the grounding of dozens of aircraft for engine inspections, residual security worries in the Middle East that have dented bookings from Israel, and a weaker pound sterling that has tempered the vital UK market. Cyprus has nonetheless bounced back faster than many EU destinations, already operating 160 routes to 41 countries – close to its pre-pandemic peak. Industry analysts note that the bilateral deal with Kuwait Airways is strategically significant. Gulf carriers provide year-round, long-haul feed that helps the island diversify beyond its core European source markets and combat seasonality. Over the past decade, passenger traffic from the Gulf has grown at double-digit rates, fuelled by visa-on-arrival facilities for GCC nationals and an aggressive push by Hermes Airports to lure transfer traffic.
![Cyprus tourist arrivals slip 4.9% in May but new Kuwait route brightens outlook]()
For travellers who do need formal entry documentation, VisaHQ can step in to streamline the paperwork. Its dedicated Cyprus page (https://www.visahq.com/cyprus/) offers clear eligibility checks, online applications and live tracking, helping tourists, business visitors and relocating professionals secure the right visa quickly so that the island’s connectivity gains translate into actual arrivals.
For hotels and tour operators the new service could plug the shoulder-season gap: Kuwait’s school holidays fall in late May and September, two months Cyprus traditionally struggles to fill. Hoteliers in Limassol and Larnaca have already signalled their intention to bundle medical-wellness and shopping packages aimed at affluent Kuwaiti families who rank safety, Arabic-friendly amenities and halal dining high on their checklist. Corporate mobility managers should monitor seat availability closely. Initial schedules suggest only three weekly rotations, meaning premium-class inventory will be tight. Companies relocating staff to the energy hub in Vasilikos or the growing fintech cluster in Limassol may need to lock in fares early or transit via Doha and Dubai until frequencies rise.
For travellers who do need formal entry documentation, VisaHQ can step in to streamline the paperwork. Its dedicated Cyprus page (https://www.visahq.com/cyprus/) offers clear eligibility checks, online applications and live tracking, helping tourists, business visitors and relocating professionals secure the right visa quickly so that the island’s connectivity gains translate into actual arrivals.
For hotels and tour operators the new service could plug the shoulder-season gap: Kuwait’s school holidays fall in late May and September, two months Cyprus traditionally struggles to fill. Hoteliers in Limassol and Larnaca have already signalled their intention to bundle medical-wellness and shopping packages aimed at affluent Kuwaiti families who rank safety, Arabic-friendly amenities and halal dining high on their checklist. Corporate mobility managers should monitor seat availability closely. Initial schedules suggest only three weekly rotations, meaning premium-class inventory will be tight. Companies relocating staff to the energy hub in Vasilikos or the growing fintech cluster in Limassol may need to lock in fares early or transit via Doha and Dubai until frequencies rise.
