Tourism: the demand behind the market
Cyprus welcomed a record 4.53 million tourists in 2025, up 12.2%, with visitors from the UK making up almost a third. Tourism revenue reached €3.7 billion. Bookings through Airbnb, Booking.com and Expedia grew 24.7% in 2025, to 7.64 million guest nights.
2026 has been more mixed. Arrivals in the first nine months were 3.4 million, 5.6% lower than a year earlier, which the press linked to tensions in the Middle East from March, although September 2026 was the best September on record.
| CYSTAT | Figure |
|---|---|
| 2025 tourist arrivals | 4,534,073 (+12.2%) |
| 2025 tourism revenue | €3.70bn |
| January–September 2026 | 3,401,538 (−5.6%) |
| September 2026 | 580,889 (+1.8%) |
Letting rules
Short-term holiday lets in Cyprus must be licensed with the Deputy Ministry of Tourism, and the licence number must appear on every listing. In May 2026 there were 8,464 licensed self-catering units.
Since 20 May 2026, an EU regulation has required online platforms to check registration numbers and share booking data with the authorities. The Deputy Ministry is also drafting rules on safety certificates and inspections, and a proposed EU housing law could allow restrictions on short lets in areas of housing stress. Check the current rules before letting.
Rental yields
Published gross rental yields for Cyprus average just under 5%, with Limassol at about 5.3% and Nicosia and Paphos at about 4.7%. No reputable source publishes a yield for the Famagusta district, where holiday letting is strongly seasonal; returns depend on the property, its management and the length of the season.
Gross yields are before management, maintenance, furnishing, empty periods and tax.
Prices and transactions
The Central Bank of Cyprus index shows residential prices up 8.5% nationally and 10% in the Famagusta district in the year to the second quarter of 2026. A record 14,969 contracts of sale were signed in the first nine months of 2026, 41.9% of them by foreign buyers.
Questions
Do I need a licence to rent my property to holidaymakers in Cyprus?
Yes. Short-term holiday lets must be licensed with the Deputy Ministry of Tourism, and the licence number must be shown on listings.
What rental yield can I expect in Cyprus?
Published gross yields average just under 5% nationally. There is no reputable published figure for the Famagusta district, and returns depend on the property and how it is managed.
Sources
- CYSTAT 2025 tourist arrivals, via CBN (4 May 2026)
- Cyprus Mail: Cyprus tourism is closing the gap (CYSTAT, 19 Oct 2026)
- Cyprus to tighten rules for short-term rental housing (2 Jul 2026)
- Cyprus Mail: EU proposal could allow Cyprus to restrict short-term rentals (1 Sep 2026)
- EU Regulation 2024/1028 on short-term rental data (EUR-Lex)
- Global Property Guide: Cyprus rental yields and price history (May 2026)
- Cyprus Mail: Cyprus property prices climb as foreign demand stays strong (Central Bank of Cyprus index, 24 Sep 2026)
- Cyprus Mail: Department of Lands and Surveys contracts of sale, September 2026 (13 Oct 2026)
