Northern Cyprus has begun 2026 with its strongest tourism performance on record, counting more than 390,000 international arrivals in January and February, the Turkish-Cypriot daily *Kıbrıs* reported on Monday. The figure, validated by the North’s Tourism Planning Department, represents year-on-year growth of 18 % and exceeds pre-pandemic levels for the same period. Roughly 70 % of visitors came from Turkey, reflecting robust air and ferry connectivity between the two territories. Arrivals from the United Kingdom and Germany also rebounded sharply after airlines reinstated winter charter programmes to Ercan Airport.
![Northern Cyprus Welcomes Record 390,000 Foreign Visitors in First Two Months of 2026]()
Travellers and companies planning trips or project deployments should also be aware that specialist visa services can simplify the process. VisaHQ, for example, maintains an up-to-date portal on entry rules for Cyprus (https://www.visahq.com/cyprus/), offering personalised guidance, document checks and application submission support—whether you’re crossing to the North for a weekend conference or arranging multi-month work permits for staff.
Hoteliers in Kyrenia told local media that average occupancy hit 68 %—an unprecedented rate for what is traditionally the low season. The surge is already rippling through the wider Cypriot economy. Suppliers on the Republic of Cyprus (south) side report increased demand for foodstuffs and building materials routed through the Green Line, while tour operators are packaging two-centre itineraries that combine Kyrenia with Limassol or Paphos. Mobility managers should note that a Cyprus-Republic passport stamp does not grant legal entry to the North; travellers must still present ID at designated Green Line crossings. With tourist footfall soaring, authorities in the North are expediting plans to introduce an electronic visitor registration system later this year to ease congestion at checkpoints and collect more granular arrival data. For multinational employers, this growth trajectory signals improved viability of short-term project work in construction, hospitality and ICT in Northern Cyprus—but also a tighter labour market, prompting a likely uptick in demand for work permits by mid-summer.
Travellers and companies planning trips or project deployments should also be aware that specialist visa services can simplify the process. VisaHQ, for example, maintains an up-to-date portal on entry rules for Cyprus (https://www.visahq.com/cyprus/), offering personalised guidance, document checks and application submission support—whether you’re crossing to the North for a weekend conference or arranging multi-month work permits for staff.
Hoteliers in Kyrenia told local media that average occupancy hit 68 %—an unprecedented rate for what is traditionally the low season. The surge is already rippling through the wider Cypriot economy. Suppliers on the Republic of Cyprus (south) side report increased demand for foodstuffs and building materials routed through the Green Line, while tour operators are packaging two-centre itineraries that combine Kyrenia with Limassol or Paphos. Mobility managers should note that a Cyprus-Republic passport stamp does not grant legal entry to the North; travellers must still present ID at designated Green Line crossings. With tourist footfall soaring, authorities in the North are expediting plans to introduce an electronic visitor registration system later this year to ease congestion at checkpoints and collect more granular arrival data. For multinational employers, this growth trajectory signals improved viability of short-term project work in construction, hospitality and ICT in Northern Cyprus—but also a tighter labour market, prompting a likely uptick in demand for work permits by mid-summer.
