Cyprus’ two international gateways—Larnaca and Paphos—are enjoying their busiest winter on record. Figures released on 19 February show that passenger numbers for the November-January period leapt 16 % compared with the same months a year earlier, despite the season traditionally being the island’s low-ebb for tourism. Hermes Airports’ head of aviation development, Maria Kouroupi, told the Cyprus News Agency that 30 airlines are now flying to 54 destinations in 33 countries this winter, adding four new source markets (Spain, Belgium, Slovakia and North Macedonia) and ten first-ever winter destinations ranging from Barcelona to Venice.(cbn.com.cy)
Behind the growth is an aggressive air-service development strategy that offers airlines year-round marketing support and, where warranted, fee rebates. Hermes has been working with the deputy tourism ministry and tour operators to guarantee shoulder-season demand, convincing carriers such as Wizz Air, Ryanair and Aegean to keep aircraft based in Cyprus through the winter rather than redeploying them elsewhere. The policy has paid off: seat capacity this winter is roughly on par with the pre-pandemic summer of 2019.
For business travellers and globally mobile staff, the expanded network means more nonstop options and fewer back-tracking connections through Athens or Istanbul. Barcelona, Brussels and Bratislava have all joined the timetable for the first time in a winter schedule, while frequencies to key hubs such as London, Frankfurt and Tel Aviv have been bolstered. The improved connectivity is already filtering through to the real-estate sector: relocation specialists report a notable uptick in corporate secondments timed for the first quarter, traditionally a quiet period.
![Cyprus airport winter traffic surges 16 % as 30 airlines keep island connected year-round]()
If your team is among those eyeing Cyprus this season, VisaHQ can streamline the paperwork. Our online platform (https://www.visahq.com/cyprus/) lets travellers check entry requirements, gather supporting documents and submit visa applications in minutes, freeing HR departments from time-consuming red tape and ensuring staff arrive with the correct authorisation.
Cyprus’ airport operator expects the momentum to continue. With the €170 million terminal expansion project now under way and completion slated for 2027, combined annual capacity at Larnaca and Paphos will exceed 17 million passengers—roughly equivalent to the island’s entire population multiplied by 15. That headroom is critical as the government pursues Schengen accession and positions Cyprus as an Eastern Mediterranean hub for multinational teams shuttling between Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Practical takeaway: companies planning assignments to Cyprus this spring should book early—particularly on the newly launched routes—because load factors are already running at 85 % and above. Meanwhile, HR teams may wish to revisit travel policies to capture savings created by the heightened low-cost carrier presence.
Behind the growth is an aggressive air-service development strategy that offers airlines year-round marketing support and, where warranted, fee rebates. Hermes has been working with the deputy tourism ministry and tour operators to guarantee shoulder-season demand, convincing carriers such as Wizz Air, Ryanair and Aegean to keep aircraft based in Cyprus through the winter rather than redeploying them elsewhere. The policy has paid off: seat capacity this winter is roughly on par with the pre-pandemic summer of 2019.
For business travellers and globally mobile staff, the expanded network means more nonstop options and fewer back-tracking connections through Athens or Istanbul. Barcelona, Brussels and Bratislava have all joined the timetable for the first time in a winter schedule, while frequencies to key hubs such as London, Frankfurt and Tel Aviv have been bolstered. The improved connectivity is already filtering through to the real-estate sector: relocation specialists report a notable uptick in corporate secondments timed for the first quarter, traditionally a quiet period.
If your team is among those eyeing Cyprus this season, VisaHQ can streamline the paperwork. Our online platform (https://www.visahq.com/cyprus/) lets travellers check entry requirements, gather supporting documents and submit visa applications in minutes, freeing HR departments from time-consuming red tape and ensuring staff arrive with the correct authorisation.
Cyprus’ airport operator expects the momentum to continue. With the €170 million terminal expansion project now under way and completion slated for 2027, combined annual capacity at Larnaca and Paphos will exceed 17 million passengers—roughly equivalent to the island’s entire population multiplied by 15. That headroom is critical as the government pursues Schengen accession and positions Cyprus as an Eastern Mediterranean hub for multinational teams shuttling between Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Practical takeaway: companies planning assignments to Cyprus this spring should book early—particularly on the newly launched routes—because load factors are already running at 85 % and above. Meanwhile, HR teams may wish to revisit travel policies to capture savings created by the heightened low-cost carrier presence.
