Frustrated UK tourists are increasingly ditching holidays to Cyprus, with many vowing never to return to the island.
Despite the island’s popularity, and a reputation for attracting repeat visitors (over 30 per cent, reported the Mirror), dissatisfaction among travellers has led to a wave of cancellations.
Tourists have raised concerns about the unbearable weather, aggressive sales tactics, and the overcrowded beaches that made it impossible to enjoy a decent holiday, with a visitor going as far as claiming he’d much rather “spend all my time in my room”, reported Cyprus Mail.
He added: “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.”
Another tourist told the publication: “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.”
“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!” veneted a holidaymaker.
The island has been grappling with a decline in bookings, costing the economy around £30 million, sparking concerns for its tourism industry.
Cyprus’ Deputy Minister of Tourism, Kostas Koumis, acknowledged the issue, noting the country faced 30,000 cancellations earlier this year. However, he has maintained that despite these setbacks, the island continues to see ‘remarkable growth’ in both tourist 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 million 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.”