Limassol, Cyprus. Conference and business tourism has helped cushion Limassol’s hotel sector against a decline in leisure travel, according to Cyprus Hoteliers Association Limassol president Christos Tsanos.
He said visitor numbers in the first quarter of 2026 were about 20 per cent lower than in the same period of 2025, while current arrivals are down by around 25 per cent year on year.
Business events support hotel sector
Major technology conferences, international business events and the growing presence of foreign companies in Limassol have provided support for the local tourism industry, Tsanos said in an interview with Entrepreneurial Limassol, published by the Limassol Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
He said conference and business travel had softened the effects of weaker leisure tourism and expressed cautious optimism that the market could gradually recover following the end of the regional conflict.
Early-year uncertainty affected demand
Tsanos said the improvement came later than the industry had hoped because many visitors to Cyprus and Limassol make holiday decisions well in advance.
Developments in February and March had a significant impact on tourism, he said, causing Limassol to lose a substantial share of its market before conditions began to improve.
He added that conditions worsened during April, May and June as continued uncertainty affected travellers’ decisions.
Efforts to attract business travel
Despite the difficult conditions, Tsanos said there had been encouraging signs from May onwards.
Once the decline in market sentiment became clear, hoteliers and tourism businesses increased efforts to attract conference and business visitors, he said.
“It is helping to save us to some extent,” Tsanos said.
