In Cyprus, even in the absence of direct flights to Russia, there is a noticeable upward trend in the number of tourists from Russia. This was stated by Murat Zyazikov, Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the Republic of Cyprus, in an interview with a TASS correspondent.
“The barriers imposed by the EU authorities in the form of sanctions pressure on Moscow and the lack of direct flights between the countries of the European community and Russia, by definition, are unable to drive a wedge into relations between the peoples of Russia and Cyprus. The Mediterranean island continues to enjoy steady and, moreover, growing demand from Russian tourists. We are witnessing a steady increase in the number of Russians visiting Cyprus, while the tourist flow is only increasing every year,” said the head of the diplomatic mission.
According to Zyazikov, over 45,000 Russian tourists visited Cyprus in 2024, while in 2025 this figure approached 70,000, which is 55% more. “This clearly confirms that no restrictive measures or bureaucratic tricks can destroy the sincere love of Russians for the traditionally friendly people of Aphrodite Island,” the Russian ambassador said.
At the same time, he stressed that those Russians who have planned trips to Cyprus for the purpose of recreation are not deterred by the prospect of new visa mechanisms that may be introduced in connection with the island’s plans to join the Schengen agreement. “Russian citizens confidently navigate the changing conditions and continue to travel to time-tested destinations, among which Cyprus occupies a special place. We are sincerely glad to see guests from Russia here, as the Cypriots respect and warmly treat the Russian language, culture and traditions, maintain close interpersonal contacts, and participate in our numerous cultural, commemorative, and educational events, to which the Russians invariably reciprocate,” Zyazikov said.
He added that recently there has been an increasing demand from Russian citizens for a wide variety of leisure activities. These include not only the usual recreational, but also sports, educational and religious tourism, taking into account the fact that believers in our country are showing increasing interest in resuming pilgrimage trips. “Cyprus is one of the important destinations on this map,” the Russian ambassador stressed.
Zyazikov noted the desire of the peoples of the two countries to strengthen fraternal ties, which have been steadily developing over the centuries and have only become stronger. The Russian Ambassador recalled that last year marked the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Moscow and Nicosia, stressing that the Soviet Union was one of the first states to recognize the independence of Cyprus in 1960 and open their diplomatic missions on the island.
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