A 10% decline for the full year would be a satisfactory outcome for hotels, given the difficult start to the 2026 tourism season, according to the Director General of the Cyprus Hotel Association (PASYXE), Christos Angelides.
Speaking to the Cyprus News Agency (CNA), Angelides said July and August performed at satisfactory levels, particularly considering the large number of cancellations earlier in the season.
Lost ground recovered in summer
“After the major difficulties in March, April and May, with losses of around 30% for the period and cancellations for the rest of the season, it appears that the efforts made by the private sector, the Deputy Ministry of Tourism and all involved bodies have paid off,” Angelides said.
He noted that Cyprus recovered much of the lost ground in June, while July and August were “very satisfactory”, taking into account the cancellations recorded earlier.
Angelides expressed hope that the positive trend would continue into autumn, with encouraging booking figures for September and October and some early bookings already being made for November.
He said that if the season could close around 10% below last year’s figures, it would be considered a major success given what preceded it and the negative publicity surrounding Cyprus.
September occupancy near 80%
Angelides said hotel occupancy in September is currently around 75-80%, with hopes that October will follow a similar pattern.
Last-minute bookings and reservations made just two or three weeks ahead remain dominant, he said, adding that this can benefit Cyprus as a destination because of its favourable weather compared with the Greek islands and islands in the western Mediterranean.
“We hope that hostilities will remain at manageable levels for the traveller’s confidence, so that we can achieve the numbers we are hoping for,” he said.
However, he clarified that July and August bookings were not higher than the previous year.
He described 2025 as a “historic year”, when almost all hotels were full, while stressing that the first indications suggest this year’s July and August were still very satisfactory.
Revenue losses remain at 12.3%
Commenting on the statistics showing a marginal 0.2% increase in June, following declines in previous months, Angelides said the rise was not enough to offset higher operating costs.
He pointed to the sharp increase in energy costs and inflation, noting that the small increase recorded in June could not compensate for the rise in expenses.
Revenue losses for the first six months of the year remain at 12.3%, he said.
“If losses are around 10% at the end of the year, the hotel industry would be satisfied,” Angelides said.
Focus turns to winter tourism
For the winter season, the tourism sector is awaiting final information on airlines’ and tour operators’ flight programmes before it can assess the outlook more clearly.
Angelides stressed that efforts to promote Cyprus as a winter destination and prepare for 2027 must continue.
“We still have ground to cover,” he said.
Around 60 hotels remained open during the winter last year, a figure Angelides described as small. He expressed hope that more hotels would gradually remain open throughout the year.
“What matters is that those that remain open do so all year round,” he said.
He added that many hotels are extending their operations into November and opening earlier in the year.
New tourism data platform
PASYXE is also preparing to launch its Xenios Analytics statistical platform in the coming period.
According to Angelides, the platform will provide monthly data, offering a clear picture of how its members are performing and giving an objective overview of the hotel industry.
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