KITSAB Calls for a Price Cap on Flights to Northern Cyprus

Flights to Northern Cyprus

High airfares to Northern Cyprus continue to create frustration across the tourism sector, with industry leaders warning that current prices are damaging demand and limiting growth. The Cyprus Turkish Tourism and Travel Agencies Association (KITSAB) has now formally called for the introduction of a price cap on flights to make travel more affordable and predictable.

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Proposal for a Maximum Ticket Price System

Speaking on behalf of KITSAB, chairman Oguz Akancay said that a system of maximum ticket prices should be introduced for flights to Northern Cyprus, similar to the regulations applied to domestic flights within Turkey.

He stressed that price controls are particularly important during periods of peak demand, including:

·         Public holidays

·         The start and end of the university academic year

·         The main summer tourist season

According to Akancay, unchecked price surges during these periods discourage visitors and undermine the competitiveness of Northern Cyprus as a destination.

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More Flights Needed to Reduce Airfare Pressure

Akancay emphasised that increasing the number of flights and destinations is just as important as introducing price caps.

“If the number of destinations and flights increases, the balance of supply and demand will be restored, and prices will start to fall,” he said.

He added that airlines such as Turkish Airlines, Pegasus Airlines, SunExpress, and AJet should introduce additional flights during high-demand periods. The absence of extra capacity, he warned, directly leads to sharp and sudden fare increases.

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Criticism of Current Tourism Support Policies

Akancay also criticised the existing system of state tourism incentives, describing it as insufficient and too narrowly focused. While subsidies for charter flights from Europe are helpful, he argued they do not go far enough.

Instead, KITSAB is calling for a comprehensive incentive model that considers:

·         Passenger volumes

·         Flight routes

·         Seasonal demand

·         The active involvement of tour operators

Such a model, he said, would provide more sustainable long-term benefits for the tourism sector.

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Talks with Airlines and New Fare Initiatives

KITSAB has confirmed that discussions are already underway with airlines and relevant ministries. As part of these talks:

·         Turkish Airlines is preparing special fares for 2026, including European routes

·         New pricing is being developed for cultural tour packages to Turkey

·         Special group fares through travel agencies are also in progress to make travel more affordable

These measures aim to ease price pressure while maintaining service quality.

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Outlook for the 2026 Tourist Season

According to Akancay, the current winter tourism season has been weaker than expected, though this trend is not unique to Northern Cyprus and reflects broader patterns across Europe.

Encouragingly, early bookings for summer 2026 show positive momentum, and KITSAB does not anticipate serious problems provided no force majeure events occur. Preparations for the 2026 season began in 2025, with planning for 2027 already underway in parallel.