Proposal to move major cultural and sports events to winter months to fill tourism gaps

Flights from Israel to Cyprus are expected to resume this week week, offering a reprieve to the island’s tourism sector, according to Cyprus Hoteliers Association (Pasyxe) director general Christos Angelides.

Speaking to the Cyprus News Agency (CNA), Angelides described the anticipated resumption of flights from the neighbouring country as “an unexpected boost” for Cyprus tourism, following recent geopolitical developments.

“Following the recent ceasefire agreed between the United States and Iran, flights from Israel to Cyprus are expected to begin next week in even greater numbers than before,” Angelides said.

“This is very good news and we hope it will be sustained, as it represents an unexpected boost for our tourism, considering that Israel is the second largest source market for Cyprus,” he added.

Asked about hotel occupancy rates across Cyprus, particularly in the Famagusta district as the country’s main tourist region, Angelides indicated uneven performance.

“Based on surveys conducted by Pasyxe and daily information we receive, April in Protaras is performing at significantly lower levels when compared with other areas of Cyprus,” Angelides said.

He further mentioned that lower occupancy levels are also expected in the first half of May in Protaras, while other districts are performing at a better level than Famagusta.

Turning to the broader outlook, Angelides stressed the importance of safeguarding the critical five-month tourism period from June to the end of October.

“All our efforts are focused on ensuring that the period from June to the end of October is not lost, as these are the months with very high hotel occupancy rates and increased tourist inflows and income for the country,” Angelides said.

Responding to questions on efforts to reinforce Cyprus’ safety image, he highlighted coordinated action by multiple stakeholders.

“This is the effort being made by the government, ministries, hotel companies, travel agents and partners abroad to convince travellers that Cyprus is a safe tourist destination,” Angelides said.

“This effort must continue until the end of the year, because the idea that Cyprus is a safe and attractive destination needs to remain strong over time regardless of tourism flows,” he added.

What is more, he warned that restoring confidence can take time if a destination’s image is affected.

“When a country is marked by something negative, it takes time for public confidence to return,” Angelides said.

“One of our key narratives has been and remains that Cyprus is not only an attractive destination but also a very safe one, and this must be protected carefully,” Angelides said.

He reiterated that efforts to promote Cyprus as a safe country must continue throughout the year.

Angelides also pointed to the need for a strategic shift towards diversification of the tourism product.

“Perhaps now is the time to focus on what we have been discussing for years, namely diversifying our tourism product by adding new experiences beyond sun and sea,” he said.

He emphasised that Cyprus should focus on less vulnerable tourism segments, including sports such as cycling, football and hiking.

Despite a strong start to the year with various sporting activities, he acknowledged that there had been declines in arrivals of football teams travelling to Cyprus for training.

“We also believe that several sporting events and competitions should be moved to the period from November to March to fill potential gaps and promote Cyprus as a centre for sports activities,” Angelides said.

He referred specifically to the Limassol and Larnaca marathons, suggesting that these events should be further developed into international flagship events.

Angelides also proposed changes to cultural tourism offerings.

“We could move the wine festival, currently held between late September and early October in Limassol, to the entire month of November, and include other related local products such as traditional grape sweets, zivania spirit and grape must desserts,” he told the agency.

“November could become the month of Cypriot wine, when there is a greater need to fill our hotels with both local and international visitors,” Angelides added.

In addition, he mentioned that “Pasyxe remains committed to supporting the hotel industry and the wider economy“.

Angelides also referred to a tourism survey conducted by Pasyxe over the past six weeks, noting that its findings had already been shared with authorities.

“The results and information we gathered have been provided to the Deputy Ministry of Tourism and other ministries for better information and timely decision-making,” Angelides said.