NICOSIA, Oct. 14 (Xinhua) -- Despite ongoing conflicts in neighboring regions, Cyprus' tourism industry, a vital component of the country's economy, has shown resilience, with visitor arrivals remaining stable, industry officials said on Monday.
Philokypros Roussounides, general director of the Cyprus Hotel Association (Pasyxe), told state broadcaster CyBC that the current number of tourist arrivals matches levels from the same period last year, despite concerns about conflicts affecting nearby areas.
In the southeastern city of Larnaca, where a major airport is located, hotel bookings have surged, according to Chrisemily Psilogeni, director of the Association of Cyprus Tourist Enterprises (Stek). The airport has become a key hub for evacuating foreign nationals from Lebanon, and many evacuees are choosing to extend their stays rather than return to their home countries immediately.
Hermes Airports, which manages the island's two international airports, reported a 5 percent increase in passenger traffic from January to September, with a total of 9.5 million passengers passing through.
However, Roussounides urged caution regarding the future, noting that while Cyprus' tourism industry has been resilient, ongoing conflicts in the broader Mediterranean could affect tourism planning and scheduling for 2025. ■