Hotels in Cyprus are expected to operate with low occupancy rates around 35%-40% in December, according to Thanos Michaelides, the president of the Cyprus Hotel Association. Despite this, he anticipates limited activity during the Christmas and New Year period.

In his statements to the Cyprus News Agency, Mr. Michaelides noted that of the 253 hotels nationwide, members of the Association, 89 are currently open, with the majority in the Paphos district. For example, out of 59 hotels in Paphos, 25 are operational during the winter.

When asked, Mr. Michaelides mentioned that the English market is currently active, with visitors also coming from Poland and Germany. However, tourism from Israel has ceased due to the ongoing conflict situation.

Mr. Michaelides pointed out that the number of hotels operating in the winter is limited due to increased operational costs. "We are trying, as CHA, in collaboration with the Government, to establish more flexible planning for the winter so that more hotels can remain open during this period,” he continued.

With low occupancy and prices but high operating costs, it is challenging for the hotels that remain open. Those hoteliers who decide to operate during this period do so to invest in year-round operation, he explained.

Regarding the summer season, he emphasized that it is expected to start in early April. However, this year the Easter holiday falls at the end of March, which "usually doesn’t help much."

He also mentioned that the Hotel Association will demonstrate flexibility and adapt to various directions, as many unpredictable factors affect tourism flow in Cyprus. "Therefore, we must continuously improve our existing markets and add new ones with potential for development and year-round tourism in Cyprus," he concluded.