Development and upgrades planned for the E Hotel in Larnaca

The level of service in many hotels has declined due to the influx of a large number of foreign workers, notes the acting General Manager of the E Hotel Spa & Resort in Larnaca, Varnavas Theodorou, emphasising however that customers are now also "more tolerant towards us."

In an interview in the December 2024 edition of the Cyprus Hotel Association’s monthly electronic magazine ‘Xenodochos,’ and when asked if he had noticed any change in the mentality of the hotel's customers, Theodorou stated that "I don't see the customers' mentality changing."

As he explained, "All customers ask for one thing: value for money. They ask for good service, good food, good service."

He added, however, that "the only thing I would say that has changed and is changing a little is that they are more tolerant."

That is, he emphasised, "they are more tolerant, let's say, of unprofessionalism, because due to the influx of a large number of foreign human resources, the level of service in many hotels has decreased."

"You can offer more food, you can offer more services, but in terms of service, smiles and hospitality we are lagging behind," he pointed out, indicating that "I believe that these things are now decreasing in Cyprus and that is where I believe that the customer is often more tolerant of us."

The plans for the hotel

In relation to the future development and upgrade plans of the E Hotel, the acting general manager at the hotel said that "there are some plans and we are awaiting the owners’ final decisions."

In particular, he added, "we are planning an upgrade of the rooms and some public areas of the hotel, which we hope will be completed by March-April, without the hotel having to suspend its operations."

According to Theodorou, the works may begin in January, noting that "since it will not involve a complete renovation, we hope that the upgrade will take place in parallel with the operation of the hotel. That is, the hotel will remain open and some floors will be closed and the rooms will be upgraded gradually."

How Larnaca will attract more tourism

Furthermore, when asked to say what should be done so that Larnaca can attract more tourism, Theodorou, after saying that "the Larnaca district admittedly has a serious problem," emphasised that "its tourism sector is divided into three parts: Larnaca airport with the centre of Larnaca, the refinery area up to Golden Bay and the area on the Pervolia side."

Larnaca, on the side after the refineries, he added, has the biggest problem, noting that the refineries must be removed and a single coastal front be created.

"If this is done and this area is upgraded, then I believe that we will attract larger travel agencies to bring tourists to Larnaca, because at the moment, at least, one of the largest travel agents, Jet2, does not have a programme in Larnaca," he explained.

"No one has managed, so far, to convince them to include Larnaca in their programme. That is, Larnaca, the city with the airport, the city with the lowest cost of staying at its hotels, does not attract one of the largest tour operators in the world, which already collaborates with other provinces and brings a very large number of tourists to Cyprus," he concluded.

(Source: InBusinessNews)