hotel beds — Nearly 10,500 hotel beds are available in Paphos district for the winter season, according to official figures from the Paphos hoteliers association. The association’s president, Evripides Loizides, noted that while this number is similar to last year, hotel occupancy rates are unexpectedly high.
In an interview with the Cyprus News Agency, Loizides remarked that “December was satisfactory compared with the same period last year,” reinforcing the belief that Paphos is solidifying its status as a year-round tourist destination.
The optimism surrounding Paphos tourism is further buoyed by a remarkable year in 2025, where an estimated 4.5 million arrivals were recorded across Cyprus. Although not all visitors opt for hotel stays, the overall performance of the hotel sector has been encouraging, and Loizides is hopeful that this positive trend will continue.
Demand appears to be shifting towards last-minute bookings, with Loizides emphasising the importance of low-cost flights in maintaining occupancy levels. Notably, markets in Poland and Germany are emerging as significant sources of tourists, especially following the decline of visitors from Russia. Meanwhile, Israel continues to show strong arrival numbers, albeit with shorter stays.
Looking ahead, Loizides expressed cautious optimism but highlighted potential challenges in the UK market, particularly regarding the length of British tourists’ holidays. He explained that while the number of arrivals is essential, the duration of stay significantly impacts overall revenues.
Excitingly, Paphos is set to see the launch of three weekly Lufthansa flights starting April 1, which Loizides considers a positive development for the region. Other airlines, including Ryanair, are also maintaining successful operations.
Despite the positive outlook, the tourism industry faces ongoing challenges. Staff shortages remain a significant concern, even with some improvements observed. Additionally, Loizides raised issues regarding water availability due to reduced rainfall and rising operational costs, which could affect the sector’s profitability. “When the numbers are doing well, everything else is doing well,” he concluded, suggesting that a strong season tends to diminish the visibility of these problems.
Earlier in the year, the Cyprus hoteliers association (Pasyxe) reported that tourist arrivals from January to December 2024 reached 4,040,200, marking a 5.1 per cent increase from 2023. Revenues also surged to €3.209 billion, nearly 20 per cent higher than in 2019, the last year before the pandemic struck.
The UK remains a crucial market, contributing approximately a third of total arrivals, with 1,373,634 visitors. Following the UK, Israel, Poland, and Germany contributed significantly to the overall tourist figures.
Pasyxe president Thanos Michaelides noted that while the island has made substantial progress in overcoming previous barriers, it still faces structural challenges. These include competition from unlicensed short-term rentals, issues stemming from the north, high operating costs, and persistent staff shortages.
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