The ongoing conflict in Gaza and the fact that Catholic Easter is much earlier this year compared to ours contribute to a very limited movement and demand in the hotel industry of Paphos during this first period of 2024.
This was emphasized by the Deputy President of PASYXE Paphos, Evelyn Kleanthous-Komodromou, who noted that the corresponding period of 2023 was clearly better in terms of visitation.
The coincidence of the timing of Catholic Easter, she said, naturally leads a significant portion of spring tourism to countries with similar religion, such as Spain.
She estimated that this restrained tourist movement will last until early May when a strong momentum from the English market is expected to begin, leading to a satisfactory summer, as anticipated.
Meanwhile, Evelyn Kleanthous-Komodromou reported that 60% of the hotels in the province of Paphos remain closed, while those in operation record occupancies ranging from 50% to 60%, and in some cases, due to very low prices offered by hoteliers, reaching up to 70%.
She pointed out that this period witnesses significant tourist flows to countries in our broader region, such as Turkey and Egypt, primarily due to the low cost for visitors, a consequence of the low living standards in those states.
This period, she emphasized, is expected to show the highest activity for Paphos units during the Valentine’s Day anniversary due to high demand from Cypriot holidaymakers.
The Deputy President of PASYXE Paphos confirmed that during this period, there is also a noteworthy trend that has been observed in recent years in Paphos, with significant flows of individual tourists from countries connected to Paphos Airport, such as Austria, Italy, Poland, and Germany.
