Northern Cyprus Passenger Arrivals Up 17% in Early 2025, Sterling Real Estate Draws Investors

Northern Cyprus is experiencing a surge in interest within its real estate market, attracting investors from both Turkey and international spheres. Özgür Koca, Akol Global Sales & Marketing Director and Executive Board Member, noted that investors are now looking beyond simple property acquisition, seeking a combination of foreign currency income, consistent rental yields, quality of life, and long-term value appreciation.

The cultural ties between Turkey and Northern Cyprus, coupled with short flight times and convenient transportation, play a significant role in investment decisions. Data from the TRNC Tourism Planning Department reveals that over 1.14 million passengers arrived on the island in the first half of 2025, a nearly 17% increase from the same period last year. The rise in visitors from Turkey was particularly pronounced, indicating that interest in the region extends beyond tourism to encompass living, working, and investing.

Koca highlighted that a key attraction for investors is the Sterling-based pricing for real estate sales and rental models. "Northern Cyprus offers investors a different model with its Sterling-based real estate and rental market, despite being just a few hours from Turkey," he stated. "People want to own a living space here and also earn income in Sterling in the medium and long term."

Areas like Iskele, Long Beach, Famagusta, Kyrenia, and Esentepe are seeing growth in new housing projects, social facilities, hotel investments, coastal developments, and commercial spaces. This expansion presents new opportunities not only for property price appreciation but also for short and long-term rental potential. The region is also emerging as an alternative to Dubai, where rising prices, high project density, market saturation in certain areas, and geopolitical risks are prompting investors to explore other markets. Dubai's real estate market saw a notable decrease in sales transactions and transaction values in the first half of 2026, with regional geopolitical tensions cited as a contributing factor.

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Turkey'de yatırımcıların en önemli beklentilerinden biri, birikimlerinin değerini koruyabilecek ve mümkünse döviz bazlı gelir oluşturabilecek bir yatırım aracına ulaşmak. Kuzey Kıbrıs, Türkiye’ye birkaç saatlik mesafede bulunmasına rağmen sterlin bazlı gayrimenkul ve kira piyasasıyla yatırımcıya farklı bir model sunuyor. İnsanlar burada hem kullanabilecekleri bir yaşam alanına sahip olmak hem de orta ve uzun vadede sterlin üzerinden gelir elde edebilmek istiyor.