Autumn in Cyprus looks less and less like the end of the tourist season. Two sources point the same way: a European ranking of autumn destinations and official arrival figures for September 2026. For property owners and buyers the takeaway is practical. The longer the season, the more months a year a home can be let.
British holiday company Solmar Villas, part of DERTOUR UK, compared 105 European destinations for trips in October and November, looking at air temperature, the likelihood of rain and air fares. Cypriot cities took the top four places:
1. Ayia Napa
2. Limassol
3. Larnaca
4. Paphos
The ranking was compiled by a tour operator, so it is best read as a guide to travel demand. The official figures come from the Statistical Service of Cyprus (CYSTAT), and they show the same trend.
In September 2026, 580,889 tourists arrived in Cyprus. It was the strongest September on record, up 1.8% on a year earlier and 14% on September 2024.
The United Kingdom remains the largest market with 184,345 arrivals (+2.8%), almost a third of the total. Israel is growing fastest: 105,249 arrivals, up 31.4% on September 2025 and nearly double the figure of two years earlier. Greece also posted a notable rise of 16.1%.
From January to September 2026 Cyprus welcomed 3.40 million tourists, 5.6% fewer than in the same period of 2025. That is still 4.1% above 2024, and the gap with last year has narrowed month by month: 10.1% at the end of June, 8% in July, 7% in August and 5.6% after September.
The comparison is against a very high base. In 2025 tourism revenue in Cyprus reached a record €3.69 billion, up 15.2% on 2024. The housing market grew alongside it, as we described in our piece on how the Cyprus property market is breaking records again.
Tourist numbers drive demand for short-term rentals. If you are considering a buy-to-let purchase, these figures are worth reading from four angles.
5. The season is getting longer. A record September and the top spots in an autumn ranking show that demand holds after August. Every extra month of occupancy makes rental income less dependent on the summer peak.
6. Demand differs from city to city. British visitors traditionally choose Paphos, where they also form a stable buyer base, which makes Paphos property for sale a clear option for letting to this audience. Israeli visitors more often head to Larnaca, around 40 minutes by air from Tel Aviv. In our experience Israeli buyers often purchase a home to let and to use themselves, and Larnaca real estate suits that strategy well.
7. Short-term letting requires a licence. Homes can only be let to tourists after registration with the Deputy Ministry of Tourism. According to the Audit Office of Cyprus, 8,464 licensed units are on the register as of 6 May 2026. Since 20 May 2026 EU Regulation 2024/1028 has required platforms such as Airbnb to display a property's registration number and share stay data with the authorities. It is worth factoring the licence into your plans before you buy.
8. Growth is not across the board. While Israel and the UK are rising, arrivals from Germany fell by 11.6% in September, from Poland by 7.5% and from France by almost half. A property aimed at a single audience carries more risk than one that appeals to a wide range of tenants.
Steady tourist demand makes buy-to-let investment in Cyprus more predictable, and the wider economy supports it. You can read how the Cyprus economy is outpacing the EU average in a separate article.
The brokers at Cyprus Sotheby's International Realty can help you assess the area, seasonal demand and licensing requirements for a rental property. Get in touch through the form on our website.
Sources: CYSTAT tourist arrivals; Solmar Villas ranking; 2025 tourism revenue; short-term rental register and EU Regulation 2024/1028.
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