Cyprus hotel bookings normalise as August demand trails by 10%

Nicosia, Cyprus. Hotel bookings in Cyprus have returned to a more normal pace, but August remains around 10 per cent behind, with operators relying on last-minute demand and discounts to support occupancy, tourism industry representatives said.

Season outlook

Akis Vavlitis, president of the Association of Cyprus Tourist Enterprises (Stek), and Christos Angelides, director general of the Cyprus Hoteliers Association (Pasyxe), gave separate assessments to the Cyprus News Agency on the outlook for the rest of the season.

Vavlitis said some hotel units may be behind, but that the sector was generally in a satisfactory position compared with the previous period.

He said cancellations continue but remain within normal levels, although some hotels in the Famagusta district may face greater pressure.

Regional concerns and discounts

Vavlitis said the sector, hoteliers and the government had taken the necessary steps to return conditions to some normality after disruption in March.

However, he said concerns over developments in the Middle East remain, particularly because of Cyprus’ proximity to the region.

Hotels have introduced discounts to attract visitors, he said, while noting that occupancy levels alone do not provide a complete picture of the season’s performance.

Financial assessment

Vavlitis said the financial footprint of the 2026 tourist year would provide a clearer measure of performance, with a fuller assessment expected towards the end of October.

He said the summer tourist season ends at the end of October, while indications for November and December allow for more reliable estimates of the year’s financial results.