The Development and Improvement of Ayia Napa – Sustainability of the Ayia Napa Hotel Industry
Ayia Napa is the most popular tourist destination in Cyprus. Every year more than 700,000 tourists from all over the arrive and enjoy the experience of Ayia Napa. Ayia Napa is not a clubbing destination, clubbing and partying are part of it but do not represent the resort. Ayia Napa offers variety and quality and is the place for all types of tourists, families, couples, upscale tourists, sports tourism, and of course clubbing.
Ayia Napa has been smartly transformed into areas dedicated to each type of tourist in a way that they do not interfere with each other. That is one of the main reasons behind the success of the resort. The resort successfully managed to remove the label of the clubbing destinations and was re-branded as a place for all types of tourists.
Significant improvements and investments took place in the past ten years, such as the refurbishment of many hotels and bars and an improved municipality infrastructure. Moreover, the future planning which includes, projects such as an 18-hole golf course and a 500-capacity marina, will contribute significantly to the re-branding of Ayia Napa as an upscale destination.
80% of the accommodation consists of 3+, 4 5, and 5-star hotels, the hotel apartments and low-quality accommodation are decreasing and being taken out of the tourism market. Furthermore, the low-quality accommodation has been transformed into residential or rooms for hotel employees.
Neither the government, however, nor the local authorities had any contribution to this upgrade process. Cyprus has entered the European Union as a rich country and no subsidies were available for the hospitality industry, unlike Greece where for each refurbishment there were subsidies available for up to 40% of the total cost.
The hospitality industry in Cyprus and Ayia Napa faces several challenges and problems. the first is the seasonality, others include the expensive high airport charges, which discourage the planning of new flights (even though there is an incentive plan used currently by Ryan Air) and the lack of any incentives or help to tour operators (which represent 95% of our tourism product)
Ayia Napa, before 1974, was a small fishing village that experienced uncontrolled and rapid development. Immediately after the Turkish invasion due to the need to create a proper tourism strategy the government of Cyprus promoted the resort as a tourist destination. Gradually hotels of all types were built, and restaurants, bars, and clubs were all over the place. The resort now receives approximately 33% of all Cyprus tourist arrivals. The reasons are a lot but the main ones are the following
Firstly, is the networking built by the local tourist authorities such as the Agia Napa municipality and the local hotel association. The second is the continuous improvement of the Ayianapa hotels. Hoteliers realized that they would be more profitable if they invested and upgraded their products.
This is what happened in the past five years. Five-star hotels are true five-star hotels, in terms of both service and product. the majority of the hotels now are upgraded and successfully target tour operators’ specialized products such as families and couples
A walk in the resort will persuade you about this fact. Three-plus, four, and five-star hotels are everywhere and increasing in number, while the quality of accommodation, that of hotel apartments is decreasing.
Ayia Napa has a future as an upscale destination. Discover it.
