The Ministry of Tourism has clarified the implementation principles of charter flight incentives for airline companies, tour operators and agencies that are members of KITSAB (Association of Turkish Cypriot Travel Agencies) bringing tourists to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).
The incentive decision covering charter flights, numbered Ü(K-I)2383-2025 and adopted by the Council of Ministers, was published in Issue No. 5 of the Official Gazette dated 7 January and entered into force.
Incentive Amounts Determined by Country
According to the regulation consisting of eight articles, incentive payments have been differentiated based on the country of departure of the flight. Accordingly:
EUR 5,000 for each round-trip charter flight operated from Germany to the TRNC,
EUR 7,000 for charter flights operated from countries other than Germany.
Charter flights operated from Türkiye are excluded from the scope of the incentive under the decision.
Incentives to Be Valid Throughout 2026
According to the regulation, the incentives in question will be implemented between 1 January 2026 and 31 December 2026. All payments will be covered from the 2026 Fiscal Year Budget of the Tourism Development and Promotion Fund under the Ministry of Deputy Prime Minister, Tourism, Culture, Youth and Environment, in line with the “Charter Incentive Implementation Principles”.
Charter Flights Are of Critical Importance for TRNC Tourism
While tourism is among the most strategic sectors of the TRNC economy, it creates a broad economic multiplier effect through its impact on foreign currency revenues, employment and the services sector. In particular, the limited availability of direct flight options makes charter flights indispensable for the TRNC’s access to European and third-country markets.
