Ayia Napa: The violence that tarnishes it and the push for quality tourism

Local ayia napaCrimedevelopmentsFamagustaTop NewsTourism Ayia Napa: The violence that tarnishes it and the push for quality tourism Ayia Napa The Violence That Tarnishes It And The Push For Quality Tourism Relevant News Don’t panic: what Cyprus’s snake experts want you to know 13 July 2026 France sends water bombers to tackle wildfire outside Paris 13 July 2026 Ayia Napa: The violence that tarnishes it and the push for quality tourism 13 July 2026 Natasa Christoforou 13 July 2026 FacebookXWhatsAppEmailPrintViber Ayia Napa, Cyprus’s cosmopolitan tourism flagship, is facing a season full of challenges this year. The resort town has invested for years in upgrading the quality of its offering, yet its name has been tarnished by incidents of violence, usually caused by young people consuming large quantities of alcohol. This year, the problems have intensified on two fronts: falling tourist numbers have brought more aggressive “kraktisma” (the practice of touting for customers outside shops) and noise pollution, while serious violent incidents involving tourists have drawn coverage in multiple countries. These include an attempted murder on June 17, in which an Israeli man stabbed three people, the critical injury of a 47-year-old Turkish Cypriot man following a fight with four tourists holding Swedish passports, and violent clashes involving British tourists that a well-known influencer filmed and shared. In an interview with philenews, the Mayor of Ayia Napa, Christos Zannetou, addressed the violent incidents, the measures being taken, and the difficult tourist season caused by the war in the Middle East. Asked to comment on the violence cases, Zannetou described them as isolated incidents that nonetheless damage Ayia Napa’s image. “Certainly some events don’t do us credit, but they are isolated. Unfortunately, a different image comes across externally. These are issues we manage, and there is now a strong Police presence. However, the presence of young people has also increased, due to availability and low-cost packages, and this requires attention and management,” he said, adding that changing the image also depends on business owners themselves. “We are waiting for the permit to redevelop Agia Mavri, but whatever we do, if business owners don’t also make an effort to create the change, through spaces that offer the charm of the Greek islands, this project certainly won’t bring spring on its own,” he said, before asking: “What is it that we want, young people who misbehave or young people who behave decently? Personally, I want young people who behave decently, the way Cypriot young people do when they go abroad. Ayia Napa can meet the needs of every market profile, and I believe that if we operate properly, we can achieve this.” Asked about Ayia Napa’s efforts to shake off the reputation that has dogged it for years, Zannetou said measures have been taken and night cruises have stopped, while pub crawls have also been significantly restricted. “Especially in 2025, the number of young people was low. This happens at around eight premises, and we are now trying to restrict both touting and noise pollution. This year, touting is much more intense because fewer people are moving around. It doesn’t please us, because it disturbs people on the beaches and pavements. We are in discussions to see what can change in the legislation. Issuing an €85 fixed penalty notice, having it go unpaid, and then going to court is not a solution. We are trying, but we also need specific tools. For example, for touting, we should be able to close a premises for 24 or 48 hours, and the same for noise pollution.” “We will struggle to fully recover” This year’s biggest challenge for Ayia Napa, however, is the decline in tourist flows, which increased in July but remains lower than the very strong 2025. “It’s a difficult year and we will struggle to fully recover. My own estimate is that after July 15, we will likely see a significant recovery, but by then we will have lost half the summer season. We were hit hard when the war broke out, and even harder when the drone fell in Akrotiri. Unfortunately, that happened during the pre-booking period and it affected the United Kingdom heavily, which is our largest market. So a large share of bookings went to other destinations. We lost what’s called the early booking discount. Right now, the mood has changed, but it’s not easy to cover that gap. As Ayia Napa, and I believe this applies to the whole of free Famagusta, we are behind on bookings by more than 20%. However, the information I’m getting from travel agents is that bookings for August, September and October are encouraging,” the mayor said, noting there are signs the season could extend to November 25. “We expected a very good year this year, and we now hope next year will be good instead. In five of the last six years, our tourism has been in crisis. Two years with the pandemic, then in 2023 and 2024 we had the loss of the Russian market, on which we depend for 70%. 2025 was a good season, and this year we have this crisis,” he said, adding that the area managed, through specific actions, to cover the gap left by the Russian market. Asked whether Ayia Napa would follow the example of Paralimni Municipality, which is launching a new identity through Protaras Riviera, he said no. “We have our own strategy. Our brand is Ayia Napa, and we will not change it. We are taking action to promote ourselves, and I believe that, over time, we will see positive results. As Ayia Napa, we need to fix what we mentioned earlier and turn it into a positive. I believe we are on the right track, but it needs further promotion and further upgrading of aesthetics and services. Our vision is for Ayia Napa to become a destination for everyone, and I think that can be achieved, through decisions that may not be popular but will improve what isn’t working.” Multi-million-euro projects under way The image of Ayia Napa Municipality will, however, improve significantly in the coming years, as multi-million-euro projects are under way or in the pipeline, both in the tourist resort and in the municipality’s other districts. According to Zannetou, the impressive Ayia Napa Multi-Function Park, which will cost more than €5.5 million, will be completed by the end of the year, while the open-air amphitheatre in Avgorou, budgeted at around €3 million, and the Linear Park in Achna Forest, costing around €2.5 million, are both at an advanced stage. On the long-troubled Liopetri River project, Zannetou noted that it is proceeding according to the timetable set by the Town Planning Department. “We supported the cancellation of the previous contract and the restart of the tender process. Work is progressing, and I believe the project will be completed early next year, leaving the other phase for the boatyard and premises,” he said. In addition, planning is under way for the eight-grade Liopetri school and for a regulatory plan for the roads from the Agia Thekla area towards Sotira, while licensing is expected for the coastal walkway from the Liopetri River to Agia Thekla. The municipality’s plans also include creating a coastal walkway from the Spilies area to Cape Greco, building a Classic Car Museum in Ayia Napa, and upgrading the old cinema in Avgorou and the Elpida stadium in Liopetri. Subscribe to our Newsletter Latest News Don’t panic: what Cyprus’s snake experts want you to know France sends water bombers to tackle wildfire outside Paris On this day: the first World Cup took place in 1930 Cyprus strips asylum from 95, mostly Syrians, in migration crackdown Occupation forces arrest two Greek Cypriots for “military zone violation” Cyprus, Lebanon file World Bank request for interconnector funding Mafia boss’s UAE arrest attracts Russia’s interest; Cyprus Police follows developments Follow en.philenews on Google News and be the first to know all the news about Cyprus and the world.