The Development And Improvement Of Ayia Napa – Ayia Napa Hotel Industry Sustainability

Ayia Napa is the most popular tourist destination in Cyprus. Every year over 700,000 tourists from far and wide come and enjoy the Ayia Napa experience. Ayia Napa is not a clubbing destination, clubbing and partying are part of it, but they do not represent the resort. Ayia Napa offers variety and quality, and is the place for all types of tourists, families, couples, high-end tourists, sports tourism and of course clubbing. Ayia Napa has been cleverly transformed into dedicated areas for each type of tourist and in ways that do not interfere with each other. That is one of the main reasons behind the success of the resort. The complex successfully managed to remove the label of clubbing destinations and was rebranded as the place for all kinds of tourists.

Significant improvements and investments have been made in the last ten years, such as the refurbishment of many hotels and bars and improved municipal infrastructure. Additionally, future planning including projects such as an 18-hole golf course and a 500-capacity marina will contribute significantly to the rebranding of Ayia Napa as an exclusive destination.

80% of the accommodation consists of 3+, 4 and 5 star hotels, hotel apartments and low quality accommodation are declining and being withdrawn from the tourist market. In addition, low-quality accommodations have been transformed into residences or rooms for hotel employees.

However, neither the government nor the local authorities had any contribution to this update process. Cyprus entered the European Union as a rich country and there were no subsidies available for the hospitality industry, unlike in Greece where subsidies of up to 40% of the total cost were available for each refurbishment.

The hospitality industry in Cyprus and in Ayia Napa is facing a number of challenges and problems. the first is seasonality, others include high and expensive airport charges, which discourage the planning of new flights (despite the fact that Ryan Air currently uses an incentive scheme) and the lack of incentives or aid to tour operators (which represent 95% of our tourism product)

Ayia Napa, before 1974, was a small fishing village that experienced rapid and uncontrolled development. Immediately after the Turkish invasion due to the need to create a proper tourism strategy, the Cyprus government promoted the resort as a tourist destination. Little by little, hotels of all kinds, restaurants, bars and nightclubs were built everywhere. The resort now receives approximately 33% of all tourist arrivals from Cyprus. The reasons are many but the main ones are the following

Firstly, there is networking by local tourism authorities such as the Agia Napa municipality and the local hotel association. The second is the continuous improvement of Ayianapa hotels. Hoteliers have realized that they will be more profitable if they invest and upgrade their product. This is what happened the last five years. Five-star hotels are true five-star hotels, both in terms of service and product. most hotels are now upgraded and are successfully targeting tour operators to niche products such as families and couples.

A walk through the complex will convince you of this fact. Three, four and five star hotels are everywhere and increasing in number, while low quality accommodation, that of hotel apartments, is declining.

Ayia Napa has a future as an exclusive destination. Find out.