Paphos hotel occupancy rates surge for the Kataklysmos holiday

Hotel occupancy in Paphos is projected to exceed 90% during the Kataklysmos long weekend, driven primarily by domestic tourism. Evripides Loizides, president of the Paphos Hoteliers Association, stated that while the holiday weekend provides a brief boost, it fails to compensate for significant seasonal losses. Official data shows that average occupancy in Paphos declined by 20% to 25% in May compared to the previous year, with April seeing a 27% drop. Industry experts attribute these losses to the increased popularity of short-term rentals, which now capture an estimated 30% to 33% of the market, as well as a shift in tourism toward occupied territories. While Paphos hotels see high weekend demand, reports indicate that broader occupancy levels remain under pressure. Projections for June remain cautious, with current data suggesting that trends observed in May and April are likely to persist. Hoteliers noted that the reliance on local visitors and discounted offers confirms that this recovery is temporary rather than a structural improvement in the tourism sector.