Negative impacts on Limassol’s tourism have been recorded recently, as a result of international coverage regarding the ongoing war in Iran, according to statements by Andreas Tsouloftas, President of the Tourism Development Company and of the Limassol Chamber of Commerce & Industry (LCCI), Dr. Christos Angelides, Director General of the Cyprus Hotel Association (PASYXE), and Association of Cyprus Tourist Enterprises (ACTE) General Manager Chrysaimili Psilogeni, in “Entrepreneurial Limassol”.
Mr. Tsouloftas stated that the situation has already affected tourism activity, with increased cancellations, as also evident from contacts with PASYXE and ACTE. He explained that a false impression has been created abroad that Cyprus is in a war zone, which does not reflect reality.
According to him, a decisive role in this perception was played by intense coverage of an isolated incident in Akrotiri by international media, as well as wider publicity around geopolitical developments and visits by leaders to Cyprus. At the same time, cancellations of flights by European airlines, such as Lufthansa and Austrian Airlines, also contributed to the impact.
Despite these developments, the President of the Tourism Development Company emphasized that Limassol remains an absolutely safe destination, noting that Cyprus is hundreds of kilometers away from any conflict zone. “There is no reason for visitors to worry,” he said, adding that the goal is to restore the country’s true image abroad.
In this context, the Tourism Development Company has undertaken promotion initiatives through social media and contacts with international media and tourism organizations.
Dr. Christos Angelides, Director General of PASYXE, confirmed the strong impact of negative publicity, even referring to it as “unfair or vindictive” coverage of the situation, which has significantly affected bookings to Cyprus.
He noted that the largest losses occurred in March and April, and now an impact is also emerging for May. “In April, cancellations reached 42%, while March had similar levels. For May, percentages have not yet reached that point, but the trend is worrying,” he stated.
He emphasized that industry efforts are now focused on minimizing losses for the rest of the tourist season through actions such as hosting foreign agents and journalists, promotional campaigns, and targeted interventions by hotel groups in cooperation with the Deputy Ministry of Tourism.
Regarding the prospects for the year, Dr. Angelides mentioned that the loss of the first months makes achieving a new record impossible; however, it remains a priority to safeguard the tourism season with minimal losses. “The most important thing is to protect Cyprus’s reputation as a safe destination,” he stressed.
In the same spirit, ACTE General Manager Chrysaimili Psilogeni focused on both the effects of the crisis and the need to support the hotel industry. Commenting on the support plan presented by the Ministry of Labour, which involves maintaining the 30% wage subsidy for April, she stated that the Association supports any measure that helps preserve jobs in tourism, which is a long-standing priority for the sector.
She explained that the plan operates within the framework of existing regulations, but ACTE has suggested improvements to better reflect the actual operational costs of hotels and to facilitate staff planning.
Ms. Psilogeni pointed out that March was particularly damaging for hotels that remained open, while April is also seeing low occupancy compared to initial projections. She also expressed concern for May, noting that the market remains fluid and requires timely planning.
She added that current bookings cannot be considered guaranteed, as many visitors retain the option of free cancellation or changing their destination, making forecasts difficult.
She also noted that the consequences of the geopolitical crisis may continue even if tensions de-escalate immediately, highlighting the need for coordinated actions to manage Cyprus’s image abroad.
Finally, she stressed that collective action between the state and private sector is required to limit the economic impact, reminding that tourism is a key employment pillar and affects a wide range of business activities. Despite the difficult situation, she expressed optimism that the sector can recover, provided there is proper planning and timely preparation.
