Summer bookings are currently down by 25% compared with the same period last year, Christos Angelides, Director General of the Cyprus Hotel Association (CHA- Pasyxe) has said.
As he explained in statements to the Cyprus News Agency (CNA), hotel occupancy rates for this summer are currently around 40%–50%, whereas in the same period of 2025, they were close to 75% during a record-breaking year, with occupancy reaching 95% in July.
Angelides said that the flow of cancellations has decreased to manageable levels. However, “the level of bookings is increasing at a very slow pace, not enough to create a sense of confidence that the cancellation trend of the past two months can be reversed for the rest of the summer. This concerns us. We are monitoring it closely,” he said.
He added that average bookings across Cyprus for May are currently around 40%–50%. For the summer period, bookings are down by about 25%–30% compared with this time last year. This year, they are again around 40%–50%, while last year they were around 75%.
He also noted that the rise in jet fuel prices is causing concern for airlines as they assess which destinations to prioritise in order to maximise profitability. “Cyprus is not among those destinations,” he estimated, explaining that an aircraft from Northern Europe or the United Kingdom can only fly to Cyprus once per day, whereas to competing destinations such as Spain, it may be able to fly up to three times a day if demand exists. “Of course, if the flights are available, demand will follow,” he added.
He also noted that several airlines have already reduced their routes.
In addition, he said efforts are focused on changing travel advisories issued by the United Kingdom and the United States for Cyprus. When asked about CHA's actions in this direction, Angelides said the association has already met with the relevant embassies.
Responding to whether hotels have introduced special offers to boost the domestic market, he said the Association has encouraged its members to do so. “Several of our members have already made special offers to their customers” he said.
“We will remain patient. We are studying the situation and continuing our actions and activities. The goal is to deliver a good result in terms of customer service,” he said, emphasising that under no circumstances should the destination’s good name and reputation be damaged.
(Source: CNA)
