The crisis in the Middle East and the negative image created following the events of March appear to be having a serious impact on Cypriot tourism, with industry professionals predicting a difficult summer.

The president of the Association of Travel and Tourism Agents, Haris Papacharalambous, speaking about the developing situation on the Alpha News program, noted that the initial reaction from foreign markets was extremely negative.

“We saw a significant drop in bookings starting in the first week of March, reaching as much as 80% compared to 2025.”

As he explained, Cyprus’s image was heavily influenced by media reports and social media posts, which presented a distorted reality regarding security in the region.

He also noted that although the situation appears to be gradually improving, the damage is already considered significant.

“Today, the decline has been limited to about 15%–20%, but 2.5 months of bookings have been lost, and we will see the effects of this in the coming months.”

Regarding the cancellations of vacation packages, particularly during the early days of the crisis, as he noted, many travelers chose not to visit Cyprus, even at personal financial cost.

At the same time, Mr. Papacharalambous noted that some airlines have already adjusted their schedules, reducing the number of available seats to Cyprus.

“It will require great flexibility from everyone to limit the decline and maintain the quality of our tourism.”

Adding to the problems is the rise in fuel costs, which affects airfare prices, as well as the general uncertainty prevailing in Europe due to developments in the Middle East.

He also took a swipe at the crisis management, arguing that there were shortcomings in official communications.

“The wrong messages were sent out. We finally need a proper crisis management mechanism.”

Regarding Cypriots’ travel abroad, the president of the travel agents’ association appeared more optimistic, estimating that starting in May, travel will return to nearly normal levels.

“Cypriots will travel. In the summer, they mainly head to Greece and Europe.”

However, despite signs of a gradual recovery, tourism professionals estimate that this year will likely fall short of last year’s levels, with the main challenge now being to limit losses and maintain Cyprus’s image as a safe destination.