Dramatic changes are afoot in Cyprus this year as new flights take to the skies and the island gets used to its new currency.
Cyprus switched over to the euro on January 1, but fears have been raised that the new currency could – as in Greece and Spain – lead to a rounding-up of prices. The Cyprus Tourist Office argues that these concerns are unfounded.
Director Orestis Rossides said: “We are communicating with hoteliers and restaurant owners who say they won’t round up prices in order to stay competitive.”
Routes formerly operated by British Airways franchise carrier GB Airways from Manchester and Gatwick into Paphos will be taken over by easyJet from March 30.
Cyprus Airways is launching one extra flight a week from Heathrow to Paphos from the end of March; a third weekly flight will also launch from Birmingham this May. Manchester flights stay level at five a week.
From March 19, Monarch is poised to begin flights four times a week from Gatwick to Larnaca, and five times a week from Manchester to Larnaca from May 18. Meanwhile, Jet2 is widening its programme by introducing two flights a week from Leeds Bradford to Paphos from May 4.
In response to the increase in low-cost flights, Superbreak has added to its portfolio of Cyprus hotels in its overseas accommodation-only brochure – adding 28 new properties across Paphos, Limassol, Ayia Napa and Protaros. The hotels range from the two-star Caravel Hotel in Limassol to the five-star Elysium Hotel in Paphos.
Villa specialist Premier Holidays has also added 10 new villas to its portfolio in Cyprus, including Villa Harmonia, located within the Aphrodite Hills estate.
Libra Holidays has seen a rise in the number of clients booking four and five-star hotels, thanks to extensive refurbishments and the opening of spas in properties
such as the Paphos Amathus Beach Hotel.
Product manager Darren Hitchcock said: “The market is changing in Cyprus as they have to be competitive with Egypt – prices have to stabilise. Revamped hotel rooms and facilities mean that there is extra value for money.”
