Hotels that remained open in December are operating at low occupancy rates of around 35%-40%, according to Thanos Michailidis, President of the Cyprus Hotel Association (PASYXE), who mentioned that limited movement is expected during the Christmas and New Year period.
Michailidis stated that out of the 253 hotels nationwide, members of PASYXE, 89 are currently open, with the majority operating in the Paphos region. He highlighted that out of the 59 hotels in the Paphos region, 25 are in operation during the winter.
Responding to questions, Michailidis mentioned that the English market is active during this period, and visitors are also coming from Poland and Germany.
However, tourism from Israel has halted due to the ongoing conflict.
Michailidis noted that the number of hotels operating during the winter season is limited due to increased operational costs.
He expressed the association’s efforts, in collaboration with the government, to establish a more flexible schedule for the winter so that more hotels remain open during this period.
With low occupancy and low prices but increased operational costs, it is challenging for hotels that remain open, and hoteliers who decide to operate their hotels do so to invest in year-round operation, he said.
Regarding the upcoming summer season, he emphasized that it is expected to start in early April.
However, this year, Catholic Easter is at the end of March, which “usually doesn’t help much.”
He also stated that PASYXE will demonstrate flexibility and move in all directions, considering many unpredictable factors that affect tourist flow in Cyprus.