There has been a gradual improvement in booking flows, but levels remain below expectations for this time of year, the President of the Cyprus Hoteliers Association (PASYXE), said Thanos Michaelides.
“We are at lower levels than where we should be for the month of May,” he told CNA, adding that a similar picture is expected for June.
“Compared with March there has, of course, been an improvement in booking flows, but we are still below where we ought to be,” Michaelides clarified.
Referring to bookings for July and August, he said a gap began to form as early as March.
However, he noted that “because there is also a significant volume of last‑minute bookings, we are maintaining hope that if there is an upward trend in bookings during June for July and August, we may achieve better results than what we currently see”.
“We need to monitor the situation continuously in order to have a more accurate forecast of how the summer season will develop,” he added.
Importance of the Israeli market
Michaelides also described the Israeli market as very important for Cyprus.
“The Israeli market is now beginning to move. We hope that this flow from Israel will continue. It is a market with fast reflexes, and we hope there will be an upward trend,” he said.
He described personnel as “the most important component of the tourism industry”.
“The human factor is what makes the difference in tourism. It is what can set Cyprus apart from other tourist destinations,” he said.
Staffing challenges
According to Michaelides, the crisis in the Middle East is creating additional challenges for retaining staff in the sector.
“The fact that our tourism sector is facing challenges due to the Middle East crisis is creating a problem for personnel. The government has responded positively to our request for support for human resources for the month of April,” he said.
“Hoteliers want the government to monitor hotel occupancy and tourist flows so that, where necessary, support can be provided for human resources, allowing us to retain our workforce,” he added.
Prices remain competitive
On pricing, the PASYXE president said Cyprus remains competitive.
“Prices are competitive. Given the situation, many hoteliers have also offered additional discounts to tour operators,” he said.
“Of course, we have also offered special rates to the Cypriot market, in the hope of generating greater demand,” he added.
He described the domestic market as “important”, while noting that it is relatively small in percentage terms.
“With the Pentecost long weekend, there is certainly strong demand at hotels from the Cypriot market,” he said.
Airfares and key markets
Asked whether airline ticket prices affect tourist flows, Michaelides said that “because Cyprus is quite far east, airfares tend to be higher rather than lower compared with other competing destinations”.
In conclusion, he said Cyprus’s main tourism markets remain the United Kingdom, Israel, Poland, Germany, the Scandinavian countries and other European states.
Source: CNA
