Recent claims by the British tabloid Daily Express about a significant drop in tourist bookings in Cyprus have been refuted by local hoteliers. The tabloid’s report, which describes a “crisis” potentially costing the sector £30 million, has been labelled as outdated by Philokypros Roussounides, Director General of the Cyprus Hotels Association (CHA). According to Roussounides, the article references data from several months ago and does not reflect current realities, such as the addition of new flights and stable tourist arrivals matching last year’s levels.

Chrysemili Psilogeni, General Manager of the Association of Cyprus Travel Agents (ACTA), acknowledged a decline in bookings earlier this year but noted that airport arrivals have recently increased. However, she pointed out that arrivals do not necessarily equate to hotel bookings, as tourists often opt for short-term rentals or stay in the island’s Turkish-occupied areas.

Resilience and Future Prospects

Roussounides emphasised the resilience of the tourism sector amid ongoing challenges, including geopolitical instability. He underscored the importance of continuing to invest in and strengthen the sector to maintain and improve current levels of tourist arrivals.

Meanwhile, Psilogeni highlighted the need to attract higher-quality tourism and extend the tourist season to enhance the sector’s sustainability. This approach aims to counterbalance any potential fluctuations in tourist numbers and expenditure due to external economic pressures.

Government and Industry Response

The Deputy Minister of Tourism, Kostas Koumis, had previously expressed optimism that tourism targets would be met based on data from the first four months of the year. His comments align with the industry’s cautious optimism, reflecting a broader confidence in Cyprus’s ability to weather short-term setbacks and continue its trajectory of tourism growth.