Tourism chief sets priorities to tackle ‘serious’ Paphos seasonality

The Paphos Regional Tourism Board (Etap) on Monday outlined its plans for 2026, focusing on upgrading tourism and supporting its sustainable development in the district.

Speaking to the Cyprus News Agency (CNA) ,executive manager Nasos Hadjigeorgiou said Etap’s planning for 2026 is built around “a set of clearly defined priorities”, with particular emphasis on air connectivity.

Central to this approach, he said, is “the diversification of air connectivity and the stabilisation of flights throughout the year”, alongside the further development of thematic tourism markets.

These include sports tourism, wedding tourism, wellness tourism, agrotourism and the 55+ segment, which he described as “key tools for reducing seasonality and broadening demand”.

At the same time, Etap is focusing on upgrading the experiences offered to visitors. This includes “the enhancement of eco-trails, walking tourism and interactive activities”, while also supporting existing events and attracting new sports and cultural initiatives aimed at strengthening Paphos’ year-round appeal.

He also referred to “the digital upgrade of the destination and its experiences”, alongside efforts to improve accessibility for people with disabilities.

In parallel, Etap is evaluating the current tourism landscape “in order to plan targeted actions for the 2026–2028 period”.

“The strengthening of tourism in rural areas, with particular emphasis on the Polis Chrysochous region, is also a priority,” Hadjigeorgiou said.

Within this framework, he added, Paphos is being promoted “as a quality and smart destination”, both within Cyprus and internationally, with these priorities reflected in Etap’s annual action plan for 2026.

Turning to air connectivity, Hadjigeorgiou said Paphos currently enjoys “a very satisfactory network of year-round connections”.

Ryanair maintains a strong presence, while Jet2 and EasyJet continue to operate at solid levels. In addition, the return of full-service carriers such as Lufthansa, with flights to Munich, has further enhanced the airport’s profile.

Paphos, he said, “also benefits from strong links with key markets including Poland, Israel, the United Kingdom and Central Europe”.

At the same time, efforts are ongoing to further strengthen connectivity. These include initiatives aimed at securing additional routes from Germany, as well as flights from Switzerland, Amsterdam, Lebanon and Egypt.

Within this context, Hadjigeorgiou said, “the presence of Cyprus Airways at Paphos International Airport remains a desired objective”.

As regards the main challenges facing tourism in the district, he described intense seasonality as “the most serious issue”.

While Paphos continues to show resilience, he said, “there is still no holistic approach by the state to address the problem”.

He also emphasised longstanding shortcomings in public transport, particularly between urban centres and rural areas, noting that “this is an issue that has plagued tourism for decades”.

Further pressures, he said, include “the lack of human resources, water scarcity, inconsistencies in the quality of services offered”, as well as “limited knowledge and use of technological tools by a large number of tourism service providers”.

High operating costs, the gradual abandonment of the countryside, and the ageing of hotel and urban infrastructure, especially in the hinterland and the Polis Chrysochous area, were also identified as major concerns.

In addition, he referred to “an unclear image and brand of the destination in key source markets”, serious delays by the state in implementing projects, and “the uncontrolled development of thousands of short-term rental beds due to insufficient regulation”.

Hadjigeorgiou also mentioned that Etap is actively contributing to addressing many of these challenges through “the development of winter tourism products and experiences”, including nature-based, sports and cultural activities.

This effort, he concluded, is supported by “the digital strengthening of the destination and the wider tourism ecosystem”, the thematic specialisation of Paphos, the upgrading of digital skills, the consolidation of Paphos’ image as a year-round destination, and increased investment in digital promotion across key source markets.