He said this was confirmed by major tourist agencies and airlines in Germany and Austria with whom he is in contact.

The reduction is due to a number of airlines closing down which transported tourists to various countries including Cyprus, the minister said, and not due to a lack of interest in visiting the island.

Demand is still high, so tour operators and airlines are already planning what to offer in 2020. Decisions are expected to be finalised by the end of the summer.

According to the ministry, Germans and Austrians are very happy with the services and hospitality in Cyprus despite the fact that the cost of a holiday is slightly higher than in neighbouring destinations.

“The deputy minister of tourism will continue to be in constant consultation with the travel agencies and the airlines, with the aim of achieving the best result for our country’s tourism,” the ministry announced.

In its announcement, the deputy ministry encouraged the local business to continue offering the same or better services to attract visitors from as many countries as possible.

In February this year, privately owned airline Germania closed down, grounding its fleet of 37 planes. In October 2017 Germany’s second largest airline, Air Berlin, went bankrupt and ceased operations. The company had 132 planes.

Source: Cyprus Mail