Foreign Tourist Decline Drives Drop in Hotel Stays in Northern Cyprus

According to figures released by the Tourism Planning Department, the number of tourists from Turkey increased by 4 percent (12,577 people) compared with the same period last year in the four-month period.

In the same period, a sharp decline of 25.4 percent (17,822 people) was recorded in the number of “other country nationals” staying in hotels.

The total number of foreign tourists decreased by 1.4 percent (5,245 people). It was reported that the number of tourists from Turkey and other countries staying in hotels in the January–April 2025 period stood at 387,233.

87 Percent Of Every 100 Tourists From Turkey

Among domestic and foreign tourists staying in tourist facilities, 82.43 percent were citizens of Turkey, 13.11 percent were third-country nationals, and 4.46 percent were TRNC citizens.

When only foreign tourists are considered, the share of tourists from Turkey was calculated at 86.28 percent, while the share of other foreign nationals stood at 13.72 percent.

By the end of April 2026, the number of tourists from Turkey staying in hotels increased from 316,987 last year to 329,564 this year.

The number of other foreign nationals declined from 70,226 to 52,424. The number of TRNC nationals, which increased by 13.6 percent, rose from 15,701 to 17,834.

Sharp Decline In Overnight Stays

The total number of overnight stays in hotels in the January–April 2026 period fell by 6.8 percent (27,895 nights) compared with 2025, dropping from 1,010,865 to 940,865 nights.

A particularly sharp 36.1 percent decline in overnight stays by “other country nationals” stood out.

Despite the increase in the number of TRNC citizens staying in hotels, a 1.9 percent decline in overnight stays was also recorded among this group, emerging as a notable detail.

The data show that the average length of stay was 2.38 nights for tourists from Turkey, 2.95 nights for third-country nationals, and 1.59 nights for TRNC citizens. The sector-wide average length of stay was calculated at 2.42 nights.

Source: Haber Kıbrıs