Paphos hoteliers anticipate busier October

Hotel occupancy rates in the Paphos district are expected to range between 60 and 70 per cent in October, according to the president of the Paphos Hoteliers Association Thanos Michaelides.

He told the Cyprus News Agency on Wednesday, that October is set to be a better month in terms of occupancy rates compared to September, adding that help will come from the British market.

“Granted, the numbers are lower compared to previous years, but the flow of tourists from Britain is increasing, which will help boost Paphos’ hotels occupancy rate next month,” he said.

Other grounds for optimism are school holidays at the end of October which will increase the demand for accommodation, he added.

“We are waiting to see if November will continue to show better numbers as far as the UK market is concerned. Early indications so far show us that numbers are low, but the trend can suddenly change,” Michaelides added.

He also said that most of the hotels in Paphos are currently in operation, adding that the next time hotels will review their operations will be in November and December.

Regarding the issue of year-round tourism, Michaelides said that efforts are being made continuously, but in view of the pandemic it is very difficult to predict whether they will bring tangible results.

Finally, referring to the occupancy rates in September, he said that the occupancy rate stood at 55 per cent on average in Paphos hotels, which he described as a relatively low.