More Germans, Fewer Scandinavians: How North Cyprus tourism trends are Changing

North Cyprus tourism trends don’t just tell us how many people are arriving — they tell us who is coming, who isn’t, and what that means for daily life, businesses, and the local economy.

Looking at official arrival data by country for 2023 and 2024, some clear patterns are emerging. The headline story is simple:

More visitors are coming from Germany and Central Europe, while numbers from Scandinavia are falling sharply.

Here’s what’s happening — and why it matters.

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The Big Winners: Germany and Central Europe

One country stands out more than any other: Germany.

German arrivals increased by nearly 8,000 people in just one year, making it the fastest-growing major market for North Cyprus. Austria, Poland, Romania and several other Central European countries also recorded solid growth.

Why are more Germans coming?

There are a few straightforward reasons:

• Better value for money

  raditional Mediterranean destinations such as Spain, Italy and Greece have become significantly more expensive. North Cyprus offers better value for accommodation, eating out and longer stays.

  
  

• Good flight connections via Türkiye

  Frequent and competitively priced flights via Istanbul make travelling from Germany relatively easy, even without direct flights.

  
  

• Repeat visitors and expats

  
  

  A growing number of German-speaking residents and long-stay visitors means more repeat trips and visits from friends and family.

What this means locally:

You may already be noticing more German spoken in cafés, estate offices and tour groups — and this trend is likely to continue.

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The Big Losers: Scandinavia

In contrast, arrivals from Sweden, Denmark and Finland dropped sharply.

• Sweden: down by more than 3,400

• Denmark: down by nearly 2,800

• Finland: also down year-on-year

Why are fewer Scandinavians coming?

This appears to be a structural change, not just a bad year.

• Loss of charter flights

  Scandinavian travel relies heavily on direct charter flights and package holidays. When these routes disappear, numbers fall quickly.

  
  

• Weaker currencies

  Scandinavian currencies have struggled in recent years, making overseas travel more expensive.

  
  

• Travel preferences

  Scandinavian travellers tend to prioritise convenience, direct flights and sustainability — areas where North Cyprus is currently at a disadvantage.

What this means locally:

Businesses that relied heavily on Scandinavian customers may need to adapt or refocus on other markets.

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The UK: Still Important, but Flat

The UK remains one of the most important markets for North Cyprus, but overall arrivals dipped slightly in 2024.

Interestingly, arrivals from UK-based Turkish Cypriots actually increased, offsetting some of the decline in general leisure travel.

Why the slowdown?

• Cost-of-living pressures in the UK

• Higher flight prices

• Fewer “extra” holidays rather than people abandoning North Cyprus altogether

What this means locally:

The UK market is stable, but major growth is unlikely without cheaper or easier flights.

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Russia, Ukraine and Central Asia: Still Strong

Despite global uncertainty, arrivals from Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan remain high. In fact, Turkmenistan showed one of the biggest increases of all countries.

Many of these arrivals are linked to:

• Education

• Long-term stays

• Family visits

These visitors are less sensitive to short-term tourism trends.

What this means locally:

Long-stay rentals, universities, and year-round services benefit most from this group.

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So What’s the Bigger Picture?

The data tells us that North Cyprus is increasingly attracting:

• Price-sensitive travellers

• People willing to fly via Türkiye

• Long-stay and repeat visitors

At the same time, it is losing:

• Convenience-driven tourists

• Charter-dependent markets

• Some high-income Northern European visitors

This isn’t necessarily bad — but it does change the shape of tourism.

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Why This Matters for Residents and Businesses

These shifts affect more than just arrival numbers. They influence:

• Which languages are useful for staff

• The types of restaurants and services in demand

• Seasonal vs year-round trade

• Property rental patterns

• Marketing priorities for local businesses

Understanding who is coming helps everyone plan better — from restaurant owners and estate agents to tour operators and event organisers.

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Final thought

Tourism in North Cyprus isn’t shrinking — it’s changing.The challenge now is making sure infrastructure, marketing and services evolve with it.

We’ll continue to track these trends and explain what they mean, in plain English, for life in North Cyprus.

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Visitor Arrivals: Biggest Changes (2023–2024)

Top 5 Increases	Change	Top 5 Decreases	Change
Germany	+7,846	Sweden	−3,444
Turkmenistan	+7,104	Denmark	−2,795
Austria	+2,917	United Kingdom	−2,087
Israel	+2,154	France	−1,337
Norway	+1,086	Iran	−4,616