President of the Hoteliers Association (Pasyxe) Thanos Michaelides, expressed satisfaction with the current bookings for the new tourist season, noting interest from both small and large markets.

Given the challenges of the past two years, including COVID-19, the Ukraine crisis, and the current Israel situation, Michaelides acknowledged the difficulty of making accurate predictions. He highlighted the need for alertness by hoteliers, the deputy ministry of tourism and Hermes Airports, which should all work together to make the new season a success.

Michaelides said that approximately one-third of Cypriot hotels are open, but occupancy rates are currently low. In Paphos, a key tourist destination, hotels are experiencing around 30 per cent occupancy. He said that Limassol had a more caried tourist product, as it attracted both leisure and business visitors.

Regarding main markets, Michaelides identified the English, Polish, and German markets as important. He emphasised the goal of not only increasing summer visitors but also extending the winter tourist season.

“Our goal is to increase the number of visitors not only in the summer months but also to extend the winter season,” he said.