Paphos, Cyprus. Hotels in Paphos are expected to surpass 90% occupancy during the Kataklysmos holiday weekend, driven by strong demand from Cypriot visitors. Hoteliers say the rise will provide only a limited boost to a season marked by weaker overall performance.
Weekend demand
Paphos Hoteliers Association president Evripides Loizides told Cyprus News Agency that the three-day holiday period is shaping up positively, with most hotels already operating at very high occupancy levels.
He said demand is expected to rise above 90%, reinforcing Paphos’ position as one of Cyprus’ most popular destinations for short breaks.
Wider seasonal weakness
Loizides said the improvement would not be enough to make up for the wider losses recorded so far this season.
“This is essentially two overnight stays in an entire month. Kataklysmos is not enough to cover the losses,” he said, adding that May had seen a significant decline compared with last year.
He said average hotel occupancy in Paphos was down by 20% to 25% in May compared with May 2025, while April was also weak, with the decrease reaching around 27%.
Shift in accommodation patterns
Loizides attributed part of the decline to growing demand for short-term rentals, saying Airbnb-type accommodation is now taking a significant share of the Paphos market, estimated at between 30% and 33%.
He also referred to tourist flows towards the occupied areas, which he said were taking a sizeable share of visitor traffic.
Outlook for June
Looking ahead to June, Loizides said bookings remained cautious, with current data broadly in line with May and losses again estimated at close to 25%.
“Unfortunately, many people are choosing other forms of accommodation instead of hotels,” he said.
