Losses in the tourism sector have reached 20% to date due to the ongoing situation in the Middle East, Christos Angelides, Director General, Cyprus Hotel Association, has said, while expressing optimism that the remaining months of the year could see a recovery through last-minute bookings.
“Unfortunately, the losses for the entire year so far appear to be around 20%, a huge figure that cannot be easily recovered. Hotels that remain open and operate year-round have already lost the months of March, April, and May, resulting in lost income instead of profits,” he noted in statements to CNA on 1 June.
Asked whether financial support has been requested from the European Union, Angelides replied that “this is something we have requested and continue to request, and we hope that it will eventually materialise,” noting that Cyprus was directly affected by the war in Iran.
He added that the effort the entire hotel industry, is “to maintain high standards of quality and service despite all the difficulties, while at the same time preserving our good reputation as a tourist destination. We have all made tremendous efforts to build Cyprus’s reputation as a safe destination that offers quality and excellent service, and we must protect that reputation at all costs.”
When asked about tourism activity during the ongoing long weekend, Angelides said that “there was some movement, but it was temporary. Immediately afterward, we will continue our efforts to fill the gap created by the cancellations in March and April for the remainder of the season.”
He further stated that “hotel bookings are still at low levels and are not sufficient to offset the cancellations or the difference in tourism performance compared with previous years. There is still uncertainty regarding how the summer season will develop, and we hope that the ongoing peace efforts in the region will help.
(Source: CNA)
