Holidaymakers Snubbing Cypriot Hotels
Given the quality of many of the hotels in Cyprus, a surprisingly high number of tourists stay away from the island’s hotels and stay elesewhere - with the recession this trend is likely to continue.
Not everyone thinks that a holiday means having to stay in a hotels. Some countries just offer so much more for tourists to stay in while enjoying the country. Cyprus happens to be one tourist mecca that offers visitors alternative accommodation to traditional hotels.
Statistics indicate that only about 48 percent of visitors to Cyprus actually stay in hotels. Information from Cyprus’ Statistical Service revealed that less than half the tourists stayed in hotels.
Alternative Accommodation In Cyprus
Some popular rooming options for visitors to the island include the following:
o Staying with relatives and friends: Some tourists opt to stay with friends or relatives while visiting Cyprus. There are many benefits from going this route apart from the monetary savings. Friends and relatives have an ear to what’s happening in Cyprus and help make a holiday more memorable. Recommendations of good beaches to enjoy the Cyprus weather , splitting the cost of food and even transportation makes this a popular cost-saving method for the thrifty holidaymaker. Guests can offer to reciprocate so that the host can stay with them when they go on holiday.
o Apartments: These can be self-contained, or daily or twice weekly often is included with the rental. They generally cost less than hotels. If apartments are rented by a group, everyone pays less.
o House swapping: This involves swapping houses, whether residential or vacation homes, with others in various countries or regions. This is normally free, and guests only cover food and small incidentals. Finding people to swap houses with is possible through word-of-mouth or websites dedicated to this.
o Self catering villas: There are many such vacation accommodations to choose from in Cyprus. Tourists can save money by staying at these villas if they are willing to take care of their own needs. Since visitors do not have anyone cooking for them, the cost of these villas and apartments is much less than traditional hotels.
With the recession hitting both the USA and Europe, people are looking at cutting costs for their 2009 holidays. Vacations to other countries have taken a downward turn especially in the US and Britain. Savvy tourists have turned to cheaper accommodation to make their vacations happen.
The list of alternative and cheaper accommodation above offers some of the options available to tourists. They are attractive alternatives because, unlike hotels, they typically don’t increase rates based on number of occupants.
One popular way of cutting costs while having holidays in Cyprus or and elsewhere is to share villas and hotel rooms with friends. This results in significant savings as the cost of everything is divided among the guests. These kinds of arrangements work well with close family members, friends or college students. Motor homes as vacation accommodation are also beginning to find favour with tourists, especially since fuel costs have come down again from the highs seen in the summer and early autumn months.
Most of the alternatives to hotels allow tourists to prepare their own meals. By preparing their own meals, tourists will realise substantial savings as well. The decision to prepare meals instead of eating at a hotel is even more important with larger groups.
With these kinds of cost saving methods, tourists will find that their major expense is just the airfare. Travelling and enjoying your vacation without spending a lot is possible as long as research is done to find the right accommodation. Normally, the hotel is the most expensive component of any holiday. If this cost can be controlled by finding cheaper or free accommodations, vacations are possible even during a recession.
Tags: accommodation, Cyprus, holidays, hotels, recession, vacations