Larnaca hotel occupancy falls 15% amid Middle East war

Economy LarnacaMiddle EastTop NewsTourism Larnaca hotel occupancy falls 15% amid Middle East war Finikoues 2048x1152 1 1536x864 Relevant News Larnaca hotel occupancy falls 15% amid Middle East war 11 August 2026 Cyprus makes AI Olympiad debut with four bronze medals 11 August 2026 The punk and the bruiser: Invasive species thrive as global warming transforms the Mediterranean 11 August 2026 newsroom 11 August 2026 FacebookXWhatsAppEmailPrintViber Larnaca hotel occupancy fell by around 15% in July and August compared with 2025, though last-minute bookings are giving the industry cautious hope of an improved picture. Speaking to CNA, Larnaca PASYXE President Marios Polyviou said the city was significantly affected by the war in the Middle East and continuing geopolitical uncertainty. The impact was strongest in the early months of the crisis, he said, before the situation stabilised. Even so, Larnaca entered the peak of the summer season with hotel occupancy down. July closed with a roughly 15% year-on-year drop, while August started sluggishly. Occupancy currently stands at around 75%, against 90% in August 2025. Hopes pinned on last-minute bookings The picture for August is improving thanks to last-minute bookings, according to Polyviou. “We’re hoping that by the end of August we’ll have a considerably better picture,” he said. Despite this positive trend, uncertainty continues to weigh on the market, particularly given Larnaca’s dependence on tourist markets directly linked to developments in the Middle East. Israel remains the top market Israel remains Larnaca’s leading tourist market, with flight numbers having returned to last year’s levels since the second half of July. According to the Larnaca PASYXE President, around 25 flights a day now operate from Israel to Larnaca airport. The UK is the second-largest market, followed by Germany, Poland and Greece, along with other EU countries. Brighter outlook for September Polyviou avoided making firm predictions about tourist traffic through the autumn, since this will largely depend on the geopolitical situation in the Middle East. For September, however, the data so far looks more encouraging. Larnaca is recording a good pace of bookings, with hopes the picture won’t be worse than the same period last year. For the remaining autumn months, Polyviou said any forecast would be risky, since developments in the region will play a decisive role. Tourism revenue down 16% The Larnaca PASYXE President also addressed tourism revenue, citing the latest report from the Statistical Service. According to the data, tourism revenue fell 16% in the first half of 2026 compared with the same period of 2025. Polyviou estimated the real decline during the crisis months may have been even steeper, if the positive trend recorded earlier in the year is taken into account. In January and February 2026, tourism revenue had risen by around 15% year-on-year. As a result, the overall six-month decline likely reflects an even sharper drop over the following four months affected by the crisis. Hotels sign deals with TUI UK and Jet2 Polyviou described as particularly significant the cooperation agreements signed between Larnaca hotels and TUI UK and Jet2, two of the UK’s largest tour operators. These are private agreements between the two companies and hotel units in the city, which are raising expectations of a stronger British market. According to Polyviou, an organised push by tour operators into Larnaca had not been recorded since the pandemic period, underlining the significance of the new partnerships. “This will help Larnaca’s market enormously,” he said, expressing hope that arrivals from Britain will rise significantly in 2027. Subscribe to our Newsletter Latest News Cyprus makes AI Olympiad debut with four bronze medals The punk and the bruiser: Invasive species thrive as global warming transforms the Mediterranean Forest patrols prevent disaster at Akamas beach barbecue, Koutrafas fire Gulf shipping traffic via Strait of Hormuz falls to six vessels Thai PM suspends firearm purchase licences after school shooting Colombia rescue efforts press on after quake, death toll expected to rise “I don’t have ‘Cypriot blood’ but I’m a proud Cypriot,” says teen bronze medallist Follow en.philenews on Google News and be the first to know all the news about Cyprus and the world.