Apostolos Tomaras
The Easter festive period can actually be described as the vanguard of the summer holidays for Cypriots who choose to holiday outside Cyprus. The satisfying holiday period is considered a prime opportunity for a few days holiday combined with the Easter atmosphere of the days, and as the data shows, many people have left or will travel in the coming days to a nearby or more distant destination, mainly European. Greece is now a favourite destination for Easter travellers, as most of the outbound tourism during this period is destined for the island or mainland Greece. Based on data and estimates of travel agents, this year's Easter period is expected to be at the same level or even exceed the passenger traffic of last year. As estimated by professional travel agents, more than 50% of those who choose Easter outside Cyprus will move to a Greek destination. The percentages of those who choose a destination in central Europe are low, and travel is combined with social obligations. From central and northern Europe, the most popular destination is Great Britain.
50% of Cypriots who will spend Easter outside Cyprus will move to Greece. Arachova, Volos, and Nafplio are just some of the destinations chosen.
Selection criteria
Easter destinations for Cypriot travellers are closely linked to the atmosphere of the day - customs, habits, and religious feelings. In this sense, Greece is the first choice all year round and especially during the Easter period. Beyond that, there is a smaller part which, based on bookings from travel agencies, is not interested in the Easter atmosphere and moves towards central and northern Europe. According to official figures, the Easter holidays range from 3 to 8 days with an average of 5 days. The Easter holidays are supported by the festive work schedule and the school holiday period.
Greece
Greece, as ACTA president Charis Papacharalambous told "K", has always been the favourite destination for the Easter period as well. Accurate data on the number of travellers who will spend Easter in Greece are not available, Actta's president stresses, but he estimates that traffic to Greek destinations will move at last year's satisfactory levels. Players in the travel organisation market estimate that more than 50% of those travelling outside Cyprus this season have Greece as their destination. Estimating the bookings made by travel agencies, Cypriot travellers are opting for peripheral destinations rather than urban centres such as Athens and Thessaloniki. Arachova, Volos, Nafplio, Katerini are destinations of choice for Cypriot travellers.
Europe-Dubai
The remaining 50% of outbound tourist traffic is to destinations in central Europe such as Paris, Budapest, and Prague. After Greece, Great Britain is the second favourite destination for Cypriots for Easter, but this choice has to do with social or family obligations. In recent years there has been a significant increase in destinations to countries of the Arabian Gulf. One of them is Dubai, which this year seems to be performing well. This destination, like central Europe, is the choice of travellers who are not only interested in experiencing religious sentiment but also in the Easter atmosphere.
Domestic tourism
During the Easter holiday period, tourism in domestic destinations is also expected to be intense. A large proportion of those moving outside urban centres have established a tradition of combining early summer holidays with an Easter atmosphere. As explained to us by Antonis Orthodoxou, a travel agent, tourist units in free Famagusta are preparing to adapt to the spirit of the days with both activities and Easter gastronomic customs in order to attract people who will not stay in their homes and move inland for a few days' holiday.
Airports are ramping up
The picture of the Easter tourist traffic is perfectly consistent with both airports in Cyprus. According to official data from Hermes, the managing company of the airports, April has seen an increase in passenger traffic. During this period, 547 flights are operated weekly from Larnaca airport with an occupancy rate of 81%. From Paphos airport, 228 flights are operated weekly, with an 88% occupancy rate for each flight. The activity for the month of April is considered very good. As far as Greece is concerned, flights from Larnaca airport account for 20%, i.e. 109 flights, and from Paphos for 10%, i.e. 57 flights. For Greece, the occupancy rate is also at a high level. From Larnaca it is 80%, while from Paphos it is 86%. Apart from Greece, destinations with strong activity are England, Israel, Poland, and Germany.
[This article was translated from its Greek original]
