Cyprus has been a holiday favourite for many Brits over the years, but many are now snubbing the island – a recent poll suggests.
A large number of tourists who visit Cyprus are repeat visitors, 30 per cent to be exact – which is a high for the EU. However, angry travellers are now vowing to ‘never’ return to the country.
One disgruntled holidaymaker spoke to the Cyprus Mail about the aggressive sales tactics in Ayia Napa. They said: “Everywhere in Ayia Napa there are reps. They get in your face, touch your body…”
Another criticised the resort’s atmosphere, saying: “Ayia Napa was disgusting. Drunk Brits everywhere, even on the beach. The music was so loud we couldn’t sleep. And everyone was selling something. I don’t really want to come back.”
Some of the popular complaints among tourists include “overcrowded” beaches and extreme heat.
An elderly Slovakian couple even stated “The water was dirty”, while another tourist, named just as Harry, from Manchester said: “We looked up the weather before we came. But it said Cyprus would be in the mid-30s in July, and we knew that’d be okay because we’ve been to Spain before and it’s the same.
“What we didn’t expect was 40-plus. For days on end. I paid for a beach holiday, so that’s what I did, but I’m beginning to think I should have just spent all my time in my room.”
Another tourist said their experience of Cyprus had gone downhill over the years, stating: “We have been before to Cyprus but not like this. We were not happy even at night, it was too hot.
“Before, we used to eat by the sea and then go to the town. This time, we only went to the hotel restaurant because it had air conditioning.”
And this tourist agreed: “It’s silly to expect anywhere to stay the same, but the differences are becoming more pronounced with each trip. When I first visited, Cyprus was still a gem. Over the years, it’s become overcrowded and over-commercialised.”
“Everywhere you look, there’s a new development going up. Even the mountain villages that used to be so peaceful and authentic are tourist traps now!”
Cyprus has recently admitted it faced “challenges” after experiencing a dip in bookings. The Express reported earlier this year that the country was facing 30,000 cancellations, resulting in a £30 million blow to the economy.
The Deputy Minister of Tourism, Kostas Koumis said that despite this the country continues to experience ‘remarkable growth’ in both visitor numbers and revenue.
He said: “There is no doubt that the current year is a year full of challenges for the tourism industry worldwide.
“The financial situation in many European countries, the reduction in the purchasing power of millions of households internationally, along with several other challenges have led to stakeholders’ concerns regarding the performance of the sector, nevertheless the performance of the Cyprus tourism industry remains strong and the sector shows resilience.”
On Friday, Travel and Tour World reported that Cyprus was about to receive a record-breaking number of French tourists. Kostas Koumis attended several important meetings at the IFTM 2024 tourism exhibition while stating that the country is on track to exceed the 80,000 French holidaymakers recorded last year. This is said to be a result of direct efforts by the Cyprus tourism sector to appeal to French tourists.