Coronavirus: Cypriots opting for staycations

The number of Cypriots travelling abroad this year is low, according to the Association of Travel Agents President Vassilis Stamataris.

Speaking to the Cyprus News Agency on Friday, Stamataris said people are cautious about travelling abroad because of existing measures against the spread of Covid-19.

“There is definitely increased traffic at the airports in the island compared to the last months, but nothing compared to 2019. Most people who travel are fully vaccinated,” he said.

“However, we still don’t have the exact data of people travelling abroad so far this summer.”

Stamataris added that around 50 per cent of Cypriots are travelling to Greece. The other half is mainly travelling to other European countries, where the protocols for Covid-19 are clearer.

“Even in this difficult period, there are still several airlines offering flights to Greece, such as Gulf Air, Blue Air, Sky Express and, obviously, Aegean Airlines.

“However, due to the fact that we are still categorised as a red country, there are more requirements for Cypriots travelling abroad compared to other nationalities. This is a strong deterrent for potential travellers.”

Finally, Stamataris urged Cypriot travellers to carefully check the requirements each country has for foreign arrivals.

“The best thing is to ask a travel agent about what is needed before travelling abroad, just to make sure nothing goes wrong,” he concluded.