Last-minute bookings lift Larnaca tourism as August improves on July

Economy LarnacaTop NewsTourism Last-minute bookings lift Larnaca tourism as August improves on July Last Minute Bookings Lift Larnaca Tourism As August Improves On July Relevant News Last-minute bookings lift Larnaca tourism as August improves on July 10 August 2026 National Guard eyes Jaguar armour as pressure mounts for Israeli Merkava tanks 10 August 2026 Storms from Dolphin soak China’s east, ground nearly 950 Shanghai flights 10 August 2026 Natasa Christoforou 10 August 2026 FacebookXWhatsAppEmailPrintViber Last-minute bookings are giving Larnaca’s tourism sector a boost in August, even as arrivals remain down on last year because of the war in the Middle East, according to the head of the local hoteliers’ association. Marios Polyviou, president of PASYXE Larnaca, said the year-on-year decline appears to be narrowing after a difficult July. “July closed with a decrease of around 15% compared with last year. August started at the same pace, but the picture looks better because of last-minute bookings. It shows August might not be as bad. Right now we have 75% occupancy, while last year at the same time it was 90%,” he said. Increased flights from Israel, Larnaca’s largest market, have helped drive arrivals, alongside a recovery in the British market this month, Polyviou said. Germany and Poland follow, with Poland emerging as a strong market both for Larnaca and Cyprus as a whole, part of a nationwide increase. Larnaca has also seen a pickup in arrivals from Greece since July, after months of decline. Polyviou added that it is too early to forecast the autumn months with any confidence. 2027 outlook boosted by UK deals Larnaca’s tourism bodies are optimistic about 2027 after signing major agreements with TUI UK and Jet2, the two largest tour operators in the United Kingdom. Polyviou said PASYXE and ETAP Larnaca had worked hard to get both companies to include the destination in their programmes. “They signed 12 contracts in Larnaca, and that’s very important, because in recent years whatever arrivals we had from the UK were individual travellers, not through an organised tour operator. The British market is currently Larnaca’s second-largest. When the two biggest tour operators are selling Larnaca, it means we’ll have a steady flow from the UK next year, with all the positive knock-on effects,” Polyviou said. Road project completion seen as a boost The completion of phase three of the main Dhekelia road network is also seen as a significant development for Larnaca’s tourism sector. The largest hotel units are located along this road and had been affected by delays to the project. Subscribe to our Newsletter Latest News National Guard eyes Jaguar armour as pressure mounts for Israeli Merkava tanks Storms from Dolphin soak China’s east, ground nearly 950 Shanghai flights Things to do on Monday, August 10 39C heat and afternoon cloud to grip Cyprus this week Makarios Drousiotis appeals for public help: ‘I’ve fought many battles… this is the hardest’ Traditional Bull Race of Bengal, India How much will the sale of the GSI and an imminent NAVTEX notice affect the Cyprus problem? Follow en.philenews on Google News and be the first to know all the news about Cyprus and the world.