Tourism in Ayia Napa and Protaras will continue improving, Famagusta hoteliers say

Hotel occupancy rates in the Famagusta district during the Kataklysmos holiday weekend are expected to be at satisfactory levels, ranging between 80 to 90 per cent, according to Famagusta Hoteliers Association president (Pasyxe) Panayiotis Constantinou.

“Especially in the Famagusta district, we have quite good hotel occupancy rates during the Kataklysmos weekend and our compatriots once again are honouring our region,” he said.

“We believe that tourism in Ayia Napa and Protaras will continue to improve,” he added.

The Pasyxe president also explained that “the majority of visitors in the district are tourists from abroad, although there is a significant flow comprising of our compatriots, especially during this weekend”.

He also said that “the current occupancy rates stand at around 80 to 90 per cent, which is quite satisfactory”.

Looking ahead post-weekend, he continued by stating that “we will return to our normal levels, which will be slightly lower than last year, and then move onward to the busiest months for the Famagusta district, namely July, August, and September”.

“Currently, the majority of visitors are from the UK, Scandinavian countries, Germany, Austria, Serbia, Romania, and Poland, which represent emerging markets,” he added.

Constantinou also addressed “the issue of flight arrivals at Larnaca airport, whose passengers largely end up in the occupied areas”.

“The Famagusta district is particularly affected by this ongoing and increasing flow of tourists, which does not correspond with overnight stays in the region’s hotels, as they end up in the occupied areas,” he said.

Explaining further, he mentioned that “this is a long-standing issue affecting other cities in the areas controlled by the Republic of Cyprus as well, but the Famagusta district is more severely impacted”.

“This situation, coupled with the impact of short-term rental units, like those on Airbnb, has resulted in reduced hotel bookings and other tourist accommodations compared to last year,” he concluded.