The tourism sector of Cyprus continues to grow steadily and strengthen its position as one of the most popular destinations in the Mediterranean. According to data from the European statistical service Eurostat, in 2025 the number of overnight stays in tourist accommodation establishments on the island increased by 4.4% compared with the previous year. This indicator confirms the stable recovery and further growth of tourism after the difficult pandemic years for the industry.
According to official statistics, in 2025 tourists spent 18,704,653 nights in hotels, apartments, resort complexes, and other accommodation facilities in Cyprus. For comparison, in 2024 this figure was 17,909,481 overnight stays. Thus, over the year the number of tourist overnight stays increased by more than 795 thousand. The summer season — traditionally the peak of tourist flow — was especially active. An absolute record was recorded in August 2025, when the number of overnight stays reached 2,953,148.
Tourism in Europe continues to grow
Growth in tourist activity is observed not only in Cyprus. According to Eurostat, 2025 became another record year for the tourism industry of the European Union. Nearly 3.1 billion overnight stays were registered in tourist accommodation establishments across EU countries. This is 2.2% more than the year before, equivalent to an additional 66.4 million overnight stays.
Most of the growth was driven by international travelers. The number of overnight stays by foreign tourists increased by 3.4%, which corresponds to nearly 50 million additional nights. Domestic tourism within EU countries also showed positive dynamics — growth amounted to 1.1%, or approximately 16.7 million overnight stays.
The most popular tourist countries in the EU
Most of the tourist flow in Europe is traditionally concentrated in the largest tourist countries. Almost two-thirds of all overnight stays in the EU occur in just four states. Spain remains the leader, where tourists spent more than 513 million nights. It is followed by Italy with 476.9 million overnight stays, France with 471.7 million, and Germany, where more than 442 million overnight stays were recorded.
At the opposite end of the ranking are the smaller tourism markets of Europe. The lowest figures were recorded in Luxembourg — about 3.6 million overnight stays, as well as in Latvia and Estonia, where the figures amounted to 5 and 6.7 million respectively.
Growth dynamics in European Union countries
Throughout 2025 the tourism sector showed growth in most European Union countries. According to monthly Eurostat statistics, an increase in overnight stays was recorded in 24 of the 27 EU member states. The most noticeable growth was shown by Malta, where the number of overnight stays increased by 10.1% compared with 2024. A significant increase was also observed in Poland — about 7.2%.
At the same time, some countries showed a slight decline in tourist activity. Negative dynamics were observed in Luxembourg, where the figure decreased by 2.4%, as well as in Romania and Ireland.
The EU tourism market at the end of 2025
The last quarter of 2025 confirmed the overall trend of recovery and development in the European tourism industry. Between October and December, the number of overnight stays in EU countries increased by about 3% compared with the same period of the previous year. Growth was recorded in 25 member states of the union.
The most noticeable jump was shown by Ireland, where tourist activity grew by 12%. Malta ranked second in growth rate with an increase of 10.9%. At the same time, a slight decline was observed in Romania and Luxembourg.
Tourism prospects in Cyprus
Experts in the tourism industry note that the positive dynamics of tourism in Cyprus are linked to the expansion of air connections, the country’s active marketing policy, and the growing interest of travelers in year-round holiday destinations. The island is actively developing not only beach tourism but also gastronomic, cultural, and sports tourism.
Additional momentum for the sector is provided by new hotels, modernization of resort infrastructure, and growing demand for long-term stays, especially among tourists from European countries and the Middle East. According to expert forecasts, in the coming years the tourism sector of Cyprus will continue to grow, and overnight stay figures may set new records in the near future.