Extended weekends in October are boosting travel demand among Cypriots, with popular cities in Greece and across Europe becoming top choices for short getaways. As noted in Anna Polyviou’s report for Kathimerini, Cypriots are eagerly planning trips for the public holidays on October 1st and October 28th, taking full advantage of the long weekends.
Greece remains the number one destination for Cypriot travelers this autumn, with Athens and Thessaloniki attracting the most attention. AEGEAN Airlines has seen a surge in bookings, with a nearly 40% increase in demand for the October 1st holiday and around 65% growth in traffic through Athens International Airport for the October 28th break. Thessaloniki is also gaining popularity, showing a 40% rise in bookings for early October.
Beyond Greece, many Cypriots are heading to other European hotspots. For the October 1st holiday, cities such as Barcelona, Madrid, Lisbon, Istanbul, and Rome are among the top choices. Meanwhile, for the October 28th weekend, destinations like Paris, London, Madrid, and Barcelona remain popular.
Statistics from the Cyprus Statistical Service highlight that last October, Greece was the most visited country by Cypriots, followed by the UK and Italy. International travel among Cypriots grew by 9.9% in October 2023 compared to the previous year. At the same time, tourist arrivals to Cyprus also increased by 6.4%, with the majority of trips being for leisure purposes, making up 65.1% of the total. Business and educational trips accounted for smaller shares.
Notably, the summer of 2024 saw a similar trend, with Greece dominating as the preferred destination for 39.1% of Cypriots. Despite this, trips abroad by Cypriots in August totaled 192,756, marking a 3.6% decline from August 2023.
Source: Knews