Major tour operators are expected to expand their winter programmes to Cyprus to a satisfactory degree, Deputy Tourism Minister Kostas Koumis told CNA after the conclusion of this year's World Travel Market (WTM) in London.
This year’s edition, marking the exhibition’s 45th anniversary, brought together more than 40,000 tourism professionals from over 180 countries, reaffirming the British capital’s leading role as a global hub for the travel industry.
Koumis held dozens of meetings with leading figures of the global tourism sector, many of whom are strategic partners of Cyprus.
“The feedback, I would say, is entirely positive, as the high visitor turnout translated into record performance, which is certain to continue into 2026. What is now even more important for us is to increase visitor arrivals during the winter season. I believe that during the summer season we have reached the maximum possible,” the Deputy Minister told CNA.
Statistics confirm this trend. From the UK market alone, tourist arrivals to Cyprus between January and September 2025 increased by 5.2% compared to 2024, 10.4% compared to 2023, and 19.2% compared to 2022, he added.
Koumis also stressed that “during our meetings with Cyprus’s strategic partners, we placed particular emphasis on how to further develop winter tourism in 2026."
"The feedback we received in this regard was also optimistic, as major tour operators are expected to expand their winter programmes to Cyprus to a satisfactory degree,” he pointed out.
During the exhibition, more than 70 sessions and panels were held, featuring international tourism leaders, executives from airlines and hotel groups, as well as experts in fields such as artificial intelligence and sustainable infrastructure.
Koumis participated in several of these sessions, including one titled “Re-examining Investment Models in Tourism: Creating Next-Generation Incentives.” Among his bilateral meetings was one with his Serbian counterpart, Husein Memić.
At the heart of this year’s discussions were the challenges and opportunities facing global tourism in the coming decade: green transition, technological innovation, and adapting to new travel habits in the post-pandemic era.
According to the organisers, this year’s exhibition was the largest in WTM’s history, thanks to a 25% expansion of the ExCeL exhibition centre, which allowed hundreds of new exhibitors and companies to participate.
CNA/IK/EPH/2025
ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY
