Hoteliers gear up for lucrative holiday weekend

The Kataklysmos three-day weekend is shaping up to be a much-needed shot in the arm for the island’s hotels and tourism sector, with locals and foreign visitors alike flocking for getaways.

Despite fears that rising costs and inflation may have spooked consumers, Philokypros Roussounides, director of the Cyprus Hotels Association (Pasyxe), told the Cyprus Mail that during the weekend hotels are set to be 80 per cent full on average.

“Saturday and Sunday are set to be the busiest, with the coastal cities more favourable for the market which is seeking some sun,” he told us.

He further explained that the subsided holiday scheme for permanent residents remains in place, meaning that various types of holidays are available across the market.

“It’s a fantastic programme, thank God,” he said, detailing that the maximum amount that a couple would pay is €80.

Earlier in the week, Larnaca mayor Andreas Vyras offered an optimistic estimate that up to 100,000 visitors will make their way to the coastal city. Larnaca is host to a series of traditional Kataklysmos events, including dancing and singing – along with a wider array of activities, such as a beachball and chess tournament.

As for foreign visitors, Roussounides said that the best markets at the moment are the UK, Israel and Poland, but conceded that the rates are still below normal levels.

“It shows, however, that we can reach normality although it will still take time – we are positive that there will be an increase compared to last year,” he said.

But Roussounides cautioned that the levels of the record 2019 season are not expected to be reached, noting that such expectations can be misleading.

“That year was a record, the point I’ve been trying to get across is that we should look towards the average of the five or so years prior to that in order to get a more realistic expectation,” he said.

The current climate is considerably different to 2019, he explained, pointing to a continued return to normality from the pandemic, along with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and higher costs.

“What we’re looking for is a smooth introduction to get back into the flow, and while we had previously expected a full recovery within two to three years, this will take a bit longer now,” Roussounides said.

Meanwhile, Thanos Michaelides, president of the Paphos Hoteliers Association, estimates that despite labour shortage, inflation, energy and other price increases, Paphos can reach up to 70 per cent of its 2019 output.

Michaelides said this summer the focus will be mainly on the largest tourist market, the UK, followed by new smaller markets such as Germany, Israel, Poland and France.

Occupancy will be lower than 2019, but higher than 2021, he said.