Hotels in Larnaca are experiencing unusually high occupancy rates due to an influx of visitors fleeing the escalating conflict between Israel and Lebanon.
Marios Polyviou, president of the Larnaca Hoteliers Association (PASYXE), told philenews that “there’s high demand correlating with flights from Lebanon. It’s mainly Lebanese citizens and third-country nationals“.
Many visitors are using Cyprus as a temporary haven or transit point. “Some stay in Cyprus for a while, others use it as a stopover before returning to their home countries”, Polyviou explained.
The surge in demand has led to occasional room shortages in Larnaca, with five-star and four-star hotels being the first choice for many evacuees.
Hotel occupancy has also increased due to the presence of international delegations preparing for potential mass evacuations from the region.
While regular tourist bookings are higher than last year, hoteliers are concerned about potential cancellations if the conflict escalates further.
“It’s a fluid situation. If the war escalates, we expect cancellations from tourists who had planned holidays”, Polyviou noted.
Some Larnaca hotels that were set to close in early May might remain open if the high demand persists, he added.
