Larnaca Hotels See Summer Decline As UK Market Offers Hope

by News Editor

August 11, 2026

Hotel occupancy in Larnaca fell by 15% in July compared with the same month last year, with the local hotel association linking the decline to continued uncertainty caused by the conflict in the Middle East.

Larnaca Hotel Association chairman Marios Polyviou said the tourism market remained difficult to predict, with hoteliers keeping their expectations for August modest.

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July Bookings Remain Below 2025 Levels

Hotels in Larnaca ended July with occupancy 15% lower than in the same month of 2025, Polyviou told the Cyprus News Agency.

August bookings have so far reached around 75% capacity, compared with 90% at the same point last year. Hoteliers are nevertheless hoping that last-minute reservations will help narrow the gap.

Israel remains Larnaca’s largest tourism market. According to Polyviou, flights from Israel began recovering in the second half of July, returning to around 25 flights per day to Larnaca Airport, roughly the level recorded last year.

The UK is the city’s second-largest tourism market, followed by Germany, Poland and Greece.

UK Tour Operators Could Support The Market

Polyviou pointed to agreements between Larnaca hotels and UK tour operators TUI UK and Jet2 as an important source of support for the local tourism sector.

He said the deals could significantly benefit the Larnaca market and expressed hope that tourist arrivals would increase substantially in 2027.

The outlook for September remains uncertain, however, as demand continues to depend heavily on developments in the Middle East. Polyviou said current bookings suggest September should not perform worse than last year, although he cautioned against making firm predictions.

Tourism Revenue Down In First Half

The wider tourism picture also reflects the pressure on Cyprus. According to the Cyprus Statistical Service, tourism revenue fell by 16% in the first six months of 2026 compared with the same period in 2025.

Polyviou noted that the impact of the regional conflict could be more significant than the headline figures suggest. January and February had been particularly strong, with tourism up by 15% compared with the same two months of 2025.

The decline that followed therefore points to a more challenging second half of the year for Larnaca’s tourism sector.

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Europe’s Busiest Ports Show The Scale Of Maritime Trade

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

September 7, 2026

Maritime transport carried roughly 13 billion tonnes of goods worldwide in 2024, highlighting its central role in global trade and supply chains. EU ports handled about 3.4 billion tonnes, or 26% of the global total, while nearly 90% of the bloc’s external freight trade is carried by sea.

Rotterdam And Antwerp-Bruges Lead The EU

Rotterdam was the EU’s busiest port in 2024, handling 397.3 million tonnes of goods. Antwerp-Bruges ranked second with 243.7 million tonnes, putting the two northern European hubs well ahead of the rest.

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Hamburg ranked third at 97 million tonnes, followed by Spain’s Algeciras at 81.5 million tonnes and Amsterdam at 78.8 million tonnes. France’s HAROPA port complex, covering Le Havre and Rouen, handled 76.6 million tonnes, while Gdansk recorded 71 million tonnes.

Marseille and Valencia followed with 66 million and 64.5 million tonnes, respectively. Romania’s Constanta completed the top 10 at 57.6 million tonnes, reflecting the Black Sea’s role in Europe’s wider trade network.

Europe’s Second Tier Of Major Ports

Several ports handled between 40 million and 56 million tonnes in 2024. Barcelona recorded 55.5 million tonnes, followed by Trieste at 53.5 million, Genoa at 47.4 million and Sines at 44.1 million.

Piraeus handled 43.7 million tonnes, while Germany’s Bremerhaven recorded 42.5 million. Sweden’s Göteborg handled 38.5 million tonnes and Dunkerque in France 36.8 million.

Netherlands Leads By National Port Volume

Looking at total cargo across each country’s ports, the Netherlands ranked first with 538.1 million tonnes in 2024. Italy followed with 488.6 million tonnes and Spain with 486 million tonnes, putting all three well ahead of the rest of the EU.

Belgium ranked fourth at 274.9 million tonnes, followed by Germany at 273.9 million and France at 269.8 million. Greece, Sweden and Poland each handled more than 100 million tonnes, showing the breadth of Europe’s maritime network.

Turkey Expands The Regional Picture

Including EU candidate countries and EFTA members puts Turkey in second place with 524.7 million tonnes, behind the Netherlands. Norway ranked eighth with 212.1 million tonnes and handled 212.1 million tonnes.

The European Commission has described maritime transport as a long-standing driver of European economic development. Its role now extends beyond moving cargo, with ports increasingly tied to supply chains, energy security and industrial policy.

In March 2026, the Commission adopted two strategies focused on competitiveness, sustainability, security and resilience across the EU’s waterborne sector, including ports, shipping and shipbuilding.

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