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<p>Hoteliers are keeping their fingers crossed the Omicron variant will not hamper the island’s expected tourism recovery in 2022.</p><p>Cyprus tourism stakeholders have placed their bets on a revival next summer, but so far, the emergence of the latest COVID-19 variant has put bookings on ice.</p><p>In comments to the news website, Stockwatch, the director-general of the Cyprus Hotel Association Philokypros Roussounides, said hoteliers are on the edge of their seats as they watch Omicron rip through Europe.</p><p>“Omicron emerged just as we began to see the light at the end of the tunnel, fueling our hopes for a better<a href="http://https:/www.financialmirror.com/2021/12/23/covid19-health-ministry-denies-vaccine-shortage/" target="_blank" class="link link--external" rel="noopener"> tourist season</a> in 2022.</p><p>“Now we are pinning our hopes on the new government measures to stem the spread of the new variant.</p><p>“We could easily see a worsening of epidemiological data and find ourselves out of the competition,” said Roussounides.</p><p>He said industry stakeholders monitor the situation, hoping the new variant will be contained, as it has already taken a toll on bookings.</p><p>Unvaccinated Cypriots also had to cancel their winter getaways at a hotel.</p><p>“Restrictions enhance the feeling of insecurity amongst <a href="http://https:/www.financialmirror.com/2021/12/22/jet2-offers-more-cyprus-flights-next-summer/" target="_blank" class="link link--external" rel="noopener">possible travellers</a> from abroad and local tourists, but, on the other hand, without measures, we could see epidemiological data worsen, endangering the whole of 2022”.</p><p>Association of Cyprus Tourism Enterprises (STEK), general manager Chrisemily Psilogeni said hoteliers are optimistic that “despite cancellations from Cypriots and tourists from abroad, 2022 will be a better season than 2021.</p><p>“People are hungry to travel after two years of restrictions”.</p><p>Psilogeni said there was also concern over the threat of labour shortages.</p><p>She said labour shortages could prove more catastrophic for the sector than COVID.</p><p>“Cypriot hotel workers, due to the restrictive measures and lockdowns, preferred to seek employment in other services while a large number of staff from EU countries chose to return home, where they found employment.</p><p>“It is not simply a matter of finding workers, but also training them, which could take months.</p><p>“If this issue is not resolved soon, then we are in danger of losing all that we have built over the years.</p><p>“We could lose the reputation we have built for the island providing quality services to demanding customers.”</p><p>A mixture of national lockdowns, quarantine and travel restrictions has decimated the island’s tourism industry which generated €2.68 bln in 2019 on record 3.97 million tourist arrivals.</p><p>In the 11 months to November, tourists visiting Cyprus jumped 195.9%, recording an increase of 1.21 million arrivals, compared to 2020 when covid-19 travel restrictions were worse.</p><p>However, compared to January – November 2019, there was a decrease of 52.4% when a record 3,866,447 visitors came <a href="http://https:/www.financialmirror.com/2021/12/21/cyprus-extends-airline-incentive-scheme/" target="_blank" class="link link--external" rel="noopener">pre-coronavirus</a>.</p><p>Tourist revenues and arrivals in 2020 plunged by 85%.</p><p>Pre-COVID, over 53% of Cyprus’ four million tourists in 2019 came from the UK (33.5%) and Russia (19.7%).</p><br />
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<span style="font-size: 9px">Contents of this article including associated images are belongs <b>Financial Mirror</b><br />
Views & opinions expressed are those of the author and/or <b>Financial Mirror</b></span><br />
<a href="https://www.financialmirror.com/2021/12/23/hotels-hope-omicron-wont-deter-summer-bookings/" target="_blank" class="link link--external" rel="noopener">Source</a>
<p>Hoteliers are keeping their fingers crossed the Omicron variant will not hamper the island’s expected tourism recovery in 2022.</p><p>Cyprus tourism stakeholders have placed their bets on a revival next summer, but so far, the emergence of the latest COVID-19 variant has put bookings on ice.</p><p>In comments to the news website, Stockwatch, the director-general of the Cyprus Hotel Association Philokypros Roussounides, said hoteliers are on the edge of their seats as they watch Omicron rip through Europe.</p><p>“Omicron emerged just as we began to see the light at the end of the tunnel, fueling our hopes for a better<a href="http://https:/www.financialmirror.com/2021/12/23/covid19-health-ministry-denies-vaccine-shortage/" target="_blank" class="link link--external" rel="noopener"> tourist season</a> in 2022.</p><p>“Now we are pinning our hopes on the new government measures to stem the spread of the new variant.</p><p>“We could easily see a worsening of epidemiological data and find ourselves out of the competition,” said Roussounides.</p><p>He said industry stakeholders monitor the situation, hoping the new variant will be contained, as it has already taken a toll on bookings.</p><p>Unvaccinated Cypriots also had to cancel their winter getaways at a hotel.</p><p>“Restrictions enhance the feeling of insecurity amongst <a href="http://https:/www.financialmirror.com/2021/12/22/jet2-offers-more-cyprus-flights-next-summer/" target="_blank" class="link link--external" rel="noopener">possible travellers</a> from abroad and local tourists, but, on the other hand, without measures, we could see epidemiological data worsen, endangering the whole of 2022”.</p><p>Association of Cyprus Tourism Enterprises (STEK), general manager Chrisemily Psilogeni said hoteliers are optimistic that “despite cancellations from Cypriots and tourists from abroad, 2022 will be a better season than 2021.</p><p>“People are hungry to travel after two years of restrictions”.</p><p>Psilogeni said there was also concern over the threat of labour shortages.</p><p>She said labour shortages could prove more catastrophic for the sector than COVID.</p><p>“Cypriot hotel workers, due to the restrictive measures and lockdowns, preferred to seek employment in other services while a large number of staff from EU countries chose to return home, where they found employment.</p><p>“It is not simply a matter of finding workers, but also training them, which could take months.</p><p>“If this issue is not resolved soon, then we are in danger of losing all that we have built over the years.</p><p>“We could lose the reputation we have built for the island providing quality services to demanding customers.”</p><p>A mixture of national lockdowns, quarantine and travel restrictions has decimated the island’s tourism industry which generated €2.68 bln in 2019 on record 3.97 million tourist arrivals.</p><p>In the 11 months to November, tourists visiting Cyprus jumped 195.9%, recording an increase of 1.21 million arrivals, compared to 2020 when covid-19 travel restrictions were worse.</p><p>However, compared to January – November 2019, there was a decrease of 52.4% when a record 3,866,447 visitors came <a href="http://https:/www.financialmirror.com/2021/12/21/cyprus-extends-airline-incentive-scheme/" target="_blank" class="link link--external" rel="noopener">pre-coronavirus</a>.</p><p>Tourist revenues and arrivals in 2020 plunged by 85%.</p><p>Pre-COVID, over 53% of Cyprus’ four million tourists in 2019 came from the UK (33.5%) and Russia (19.7%).</p><br />
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<span style="font-size: 9px">Contents of this article including associated images are belongs <b>Financial Mirror</b><br />
Views & opinions expressed are those of the author and/or <b>Financial Mirror</b></span><br />
<a href="https://www.financialmirror.com/2021/12/23/hotels-hope-omicron-wont-deter-summer-bookings/" target="_blank" class="link link--external" rel="noopener">Source</a>
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