Love for Athens nightlife beats inflation

Cypriots are not keen to let go of their traditional autumn getaways to Greece; despite an increase in the cost of living, they grabbed all available holiday packages to Athens, report travel agents.

Cyprus travel agents say more Cypriots have been on the move since the return to normality following the lifting of COVID travel restrictions in June.

In comments to the news site StockWatch, the chair of the Association of Cyprus Travel Agents, Vasilis Stamataris, said, “despite the increase in the cost of living and airfares, we have not stopped receiving requests from Cypriot travellers”.

He said Cypriots are always on the move, either travelling for fun or business, to see friends and family.

“The majority of Cypriots are travelling for entertainment to Greece, with the bulk of traffic heading for Athens over the long weekend of 28 October.”

“Flights to Athens are almost fully booked for the weekends up to the end of November. We have even sold a lot of Christmas getaway packages,” said Stamataris

He added that Cypriots also go to Austria, Paris, and Italy as there are direct flights.

The managing director of Orthodoxou Travel, Antonis Orthodoxou, told Stockwatch that Cypriots love the nightlife of the Greek capital, especially the ‘Bouzoukia’ clubs.

He said many are also travelling to the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Vienna, pointing out that his agency has reservations from Cypriots up until March next year.

The executive chair of Top Kinisis and honorary chair of the association of travel agents, Akis Kelepeshis, said Cypriots take advantage of attractive offers for short getaway trips starting from €350, including hotels and breakfast.

He said Cypriots have also taken up almost all packages to Rome, Paris, and Vienna for the coming months, paying anything from €550.

According to CyStat data, compared to August 2019, Cypriot trips abroad are down by 11.3%.

The main countries Cypriots returned from in August were Greece with 43.2%, the United Kingdom with 7.2% and Italy with 6%.