Tourism operators in Larnaca are raising concerns over mounting uncertainty caused by the prolonged conflict in the Middle East and a freeze in new bookings, even though the district is recording smaller losses in tourist flows for March than other provinces, according to the source text.
Speaking to Phileleftheros, PASYXE Larnaca chairman Marios Polyviou said Cyprus needed to make clear that it remained a safe destination. He said tourism stakeholders were waiting for the measures discussed at the recent meeting at the Presidential Palace under President Nikos Christodoulides to be put into effect.
Polyviou said March cancellations in Larnaca stood at between 15% and 20%, while hotel occupancy did not exceeding 40%, compared with a level that should have been close to 60% for this period. He added that there were also some cancellations for April, although not yet in very large numbers, and said new bookings had completely frozen.
He said the positive sign was that there had been no mass cancellations for the summer season. According to the source text, those cancelling were usually rescheduling for a later date and waiting for the situation to end, which is why large-scale summer cancellations had not emerged.
Polyviou also said cancellations in Larnaca were proportionally lower than in Paphos and free Famagusta, although losses were still being recorded. He added that the situation differed from last June, when demand had risen sharply after the Israeli government called on its nationals to gather in either Larnaca or Athens and wait for Tel Aviv airport to reopen.
He said that the pattern had not been repeated this time because of flight cancellations from Europe as well. However, he described it as very positive that connectivity with EU countries had been restored. Hermes Airports said on March 9 that air links between Cyprus and Europe had been restored, with several major carriers resuming flights, while cancellations remained concentrated on routes to and from parts of the Middle East.
Polyviou said the resumption of flights from Europe was helping because the earlier suspensions had not only stopped visitors from travelling but had also sent the wrong message. He added that all flights from EU member states and from all airlines had restarted, while cancellations were now coming only from the Middle East because the airports from which those flights would depart remained closed, according to the source text. Hermes Airports’ live flight information page also says cancelled flights concern routes to and from the Middle East.