THE quality-break market in Cyprus was dealt a blow earlier in the year when Cadogan announced that it was axing its programme to the island.
Managing director Gary David said that high operating costs made it a hard sell, so the decision was taken to drop it.
The island won a reprieve, however, almost immediately after Cadogan’s announcement, following the Cyprus Tourism Organisation’s offer to help fund roadshows and educationals. In response, Cadogan doubled the size of its programme to 12 hotels, all rated four and five-star, and brought the 14 pages of coverage devoted to the island to the front of its ‘Collection’ brochure.
“It’s early days yet, but sales are already up 19% on this time last year,” said David.
Cyprus’ potential for upmarket breaks has so far proven more fertile than neighbouring Greece and Turkey.
“It is unlike the rest of the Mediterranean in terms of quality. It has over 50 four to five-star hotels,” added David.
Quality accommodation, combined with the island’s historical and cultural heritage, has not only helped shape the Cyprus specialists’ customer profile, but has also attracted the attention of operators such as long-haul specialist Bales.
Bales has six departures in 2000 for its Aphrodite’s Isle product, an eight-day tour with a lead-in price of £998.
Bales Worldwide planning director Roy Davies said: “We have operated successfully in neighbouring Lebanon and Syria for many years. Cyprus has all the ingredients that we find work with our traditional long-haul destinations.”
This year is the second year Abercrombie and Kent has offered the five-star Anassa Hotel in Latchi. Seven-night packages start at £1,103 based on two people sharing and include scheduled flights with British Airways.
The success of high-quality breaks has stimulated the desirable early-booking market which the Cyprus Tourist Office has been trying hard to encourage. Early bookings from Amathus’ Advance Summer 2000 brochure are already up 45% on last year, largely thanks to enthusiastic repeat clients. Amathus sales and marketing manager Cris Rees said:”Booking earlier is becoming more of a trend as clients want to ensure they get the hotels – sometimes even the room numbers – they want, on the dates they require.”
High quality does not necessarily mean high cost. New for summer 2000 from Amathus is its Hotels of Character programme, which offers an April lead-in of £416 for seven nights’ bed and breakfast at the four-star Mediterranean Beach Hotel in Limassol.
The most recent development in Cyprus’ luxury market though is the revamped Le Meridien hotel. £1.5m has already been spent renovating the entrance, lobby and reception, and adding ten rooms, increasing the total to 232.
A further £1.3m improvement programme has also been approved, which includes the construction of a new conference hall and health club.
According to the operators, accommodation is really what sets the island apart from its rivals.
As Cyprus develops, it looks set to continue as the the southern Mediterranean’s most convincing luxury option.
Cyprus
Bales: Aphrodite’s Isle. An eight-day coach tour of Larnaca, Nicosia, the Troodos Mountains, Paphos, Kourion and Limassol. The lead-in price of £998 includes scheduled flights with BA, private coach transport between all resorts and sites, as well as an English-speaking guide. Seven breakfasts, six lunches and four dinners are also included.
JMC: The Select brochure for high-quality breaks features seven nights’ bed and breakfast at the five-star Anassa Hotel in Latchi. Prices lead in at £1,059 for summer 2000 departures. The hotel has two swimming pools, four restaurants, a live music bar, floodlit tennis courts and full health club, as well as an 18-hole golf course nearby. Scuba diving and other watersports can be organised by the hotel.