Home or away? Is it time to escape Cyprus?

With restrictions over, this summer is a time many have been waiting years for, and will now head off for a longed-for holiday

Last year, many of us stayed in Cyprus over the summer. The reasons differed, but mostly revolved around the pandemic. But 2022 is a very different matter: according to the World Health Organisation, we’re in the ‘post-emergency’ phase of the pandemic. Which means we’re now free to jet off and away on the extended vacation we’ve all been craving for the past two years. But will we?

Last year’s wave of travellers were frequently off to see family after the enforced absence. “After almost a year, I needed to see my daughter who’s studying in Germany far more than I needed a break on a foreign beach,” says Erta.

33-year-old Simos felt the same. “Once restrictions lifted a little, I flew straight to London to see my mum. My Dad passed away a few years ago, and I knew she was struggling on her own during the pandemic. You could have offered me a free trip to the Maldives, and I still would have gone to London! Family will always come first.”

But with duty out of the way, Erta, Simos and the like are now free to plan more hedonistic holidays, and both are making plans for a proper escape from the island: Erta to Prague – “a city I’ve always wanted to visit” – and Simos and wife to the Far East…

“For years, we’ve both been dreaming of going to Thailand,” he says. “My wife has a whole mood board on Pinterest dedicated to it! After years of putting it off, we promised ourselves that the minute the pandemic was more or less over, we’d go. So, in April, when things started looking up, we organised for her parents to look after the kids for a week, planned our itinerary, and booked our tickets. We’re off,” he grins, “next week. It feels like we’ve been locked in the house with the kids for two years, so I reckon we deserve a couples’ getaway!”

Almost everyone we spoke to had a similar idea. The prevailing opinion being that – no matter the location – familiarity breeds contempt, and escaping Cyprus is a must this summer.

“My friends in the UK don’t understand this need to get off the island!” exclaims 29-year-old financial consultant Costas. “They’re all like ‘Why would you need to leave paradise?’ But you can appreciate Cyprus’ incredible scenery and food and experiences and STILL desperately need a break from the pressures of existing within a closed society. I feel like we’ve all talked about the same things, the same people, the same stuff for months now. I owe it to myself to get out and experience something new.”

Costas and companion will be taking advantage of the increasing numbers of foreign flights to visit Dubai. Although still down by 63 per cent on pre-pandemic days, flights are up 263 per cent compared with the same time in 2021. Greece and the UK are the most popular destinations, closely followed by the cities of Europe.

“People want to travel, you can see it on a daily basis at the airport with the increasing number of departures,” says Vasilis Stamataris, President of the Association of Cyprus Travel Agents. “And those with the time and finances to leave the island prefer the Greek islands or Europe; we’re seeing a lot of interest in countries such as France and Germany that enjoy direct flight connectivity to Cyprus.”

26-year-old Stephanie and friends are absolutely on trend. While the girls are set to spend six days on Mykonos in July for a hen party, the boys are off to Amsterdam on a bachelor weekend. “The wedding was set for last year, but we postponed because of the pandemic. We’re all dying to get away from family expectations and just be ourselves again!”

But it’s not just the younger residents who are eagerly escaping the island. 49-year-old Aida, originally from Russia, is heading off to Tuscany with her daughter. “I know a lot of Russians like to go back home during the summer,” she says. “But with the situation as it is, that’s not something I want to do. Italy is far better!”

Meanwhile, retired teachers Jill and Mark will be cruising the Mediterranean. “We used to go on a cruise every year,” says Jill. “We’ve been round the fjords, the Caribbean, and even cruised Alaska in 2018. A Mediterranean voyage may be a lot closer to home, but it’s still a much-needed getaway. And it’s cheap; we saved a little money over the last couple of years, but with food and petrol prices rising, we can’t really afford to fly to a far-flung location and then jump on a ship.”

Of the people we spoke to, just a few had decided to eschew a foreign vacation. Reasons varied: “Cost,” says 45-year-old Penny. “Taking a family of four abroad is still pricey. My husband is an architect who went freelance just before the pandemic; I work in the tourist industry. Both our incomes were affected. Add to that the rising cost of living, and money is just too tight to justify a holiday. We’ll be staycationing at my aunt’s flat in Paralimni; unglamorous, but free!”

Peter, a 55-year-old graphic designer who hasn’t left the island since before the pandemic, will also be remaining. “But only because I love summer in Cyprus; everything seems to relax when it’s hot. I am, however, planning a trip in the autumn; if I’m going, I want a proper holiday, uncompromised by restrictions. By October, I’m hoping travel measures will have completely lifted, and then I’m off to Rome.”

But Penny and Peter are the outliers: for the most part, we ARE all going on a summer holiday. While the tourists arrive in increasing numbers, us locals are raring to escape. This summer, we’ll all be jetting up, up and away. Away from Cyprus.