A decrease of approximately 15% in hotel occupancy rates in Larnaca during both July and August, compared to the same period last year, has been recorded this year, Marios Polyviou, President of PASYXE Larnaca, told CNA, noting, however, that last-minute bookings for August are generating cautious optimism.
At the same time, in a special statement regarding the agreements signed by Larnaca hotels with the UK-based companies TUI UK and Jet2, he described them as “particularly important,” noting that they will greatly help Larnaca’s tourism market.
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Decline in tourist arrivals in August compared to 2025
Larnaca has been significantly affected by the war in the Middle East and the current geopolitical situation, said Mr. Polyviou in response to a question from CNA, while also noting that uncertainty persists in the tourism market.
As he noted, the impact was significant in the early months, but the situation subsequently stabilized, with tourist traffic reaching July—the “heart” of summer—at reduced occupancy rates.
According to Mr. Polyviou, July ended with occupancy rates about 15% lower than last year, while August also got off to a “sluggish” start, with occupancy rates at around 75%, compared to about 90% in the same month of 2025.
However, as he noted, there is also a silver lining, as last-minute bookings for August are being recorded, which are improving the outlook. “We hope that by the end of August we’ll have a much better picture,” he said.
Key Tourism Markets
Referring to the markets that drive tourism in Larnaca, Mr. Polyviou said that Israel remains the main market, noting that since the second half of July, the number of flights from Israel has returned to last year’s levels.
Specifically, as he reported, there are approximately 25 flights per day from Israel to Larnaca Airport.
The UK remains the second-largest market, followed by Germany, Poland, and Greece, as well as tourist markets from various other European Union countries.
Cautious optimism for September
Regarding the outlook for September and the fall in general, the President of PASYXE Larnaca described any forecast as risky, since, as he said, tourist traffic will depend to a large extent on the geopolitical situation in the Middle East.
For September, however, the outlook is more positive, as, according to Mr. Polyviou, Larnaca is seeing strong booking rates, with the expectation that the situation will at least not be worse than during the same period last year.
For the fall months, however, as he pointed out, it is difficult to make a reliable forecast, as much will depend on developments in the Middle East.
16% Decline in Tourism Revenues in the First Half of the Year
Mr. Polyviou also made special mention of tourism revenue, noting that the figures come directly from the latest report by the Statistical Service.
As he stated, for the entire first half of 2026, there was a 16% decline in tourism revenue compared to last year.
He explained that the actual decline during the crisis months may be even greater, given the particularly positive performance recorded during the first two months of the year.
Specifically, in January and February 2026, there was an increase of approximately 15% compared to the same period last year.
Therefore, he noted, the overall decline of about 16% for the entire half-year is likely to translate into an even greater decline during the four months that followed and were affected by the crisis.
Agreements with TUI UK and Jet2 are significant
Mr. Polyviou also described as particularly significant the agreements signed by Larnaca hotels with the UK-based companies TUI UK and Jet2.
As he explained, these are private partnership agreements between hotels in Larnaca and the two largest tour operators in the United Kingdom, a fact that, as he said, is a source of great satisfaction for the city’s hotel industry.
He noted that there has been no organized influx of tour operators to Larnaca since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasizing the importance of these agreements for the local tourism market.
“This development will greatly help the Larnaca market,” he said, expressing hope that 2027 will see a significant increase in arrivals, at least from the British market.
Source: CNA
