According to Thanos Michaelides, President of the Cyprus Hotel Association, hotel occupancy rates in Cyprus are projected to be lower in the summer of 2024 compared to 2023, although these expectations could still change.

In statements to the Cyprus News Agency, Mr. Michaelides expressed ongoing concerns about how occupancy rates might evolve over the summer, especially given the geopolitical tensions around Cyprus. He noted weaknesses in the UK economy, which traditionally contributes significantly to Cyprus's tourism sector. Efforts to compensate for this downturn with new markets such as Poland, France, and Germany have been met with apprehension about the upcoming season's development.

Mr. Michaelides observed that booking flows for summer 2024 are lagging behind those of the previous summer. He also mentioned that the occupancies in April were lower compared to April 2023, partly because the Catholic Easter occurred in March, a significant time gap from the Orthodox Easter.

He remarked that hotel occupancies over the Easter weekend were satisfactory across Cyprus. He expressed hope that the situation in Israel, a key market for Cyprus, would soon stabilize, allowing that market to rebound.

Regarding employment in the hotel industry, the President of PASYXE stated that the processing of applications has become more streamlined, which has been helpful. However, he emphasized the need for continued efforts to expedite these processes further, aiming to enhance the productivity of the hotel industry.

He highlighted that hoteliers face challenges not only in the quantity but also in the suitability of the workforce. As the summer season approaches and the global labor shortage persists, the options for recruitment are becoming increasingly limited.