Greek Deputy Minister of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy, Stefanos Gkikas, has said that Greece and Cyprus have the strategic relations in the sectors of shipping, cruises and maritime tourism, which are founded on the deep cultural affinity between the two countries, their geographical proximity and their common European path.
Speaking at the opening of the International Sea Tourism Festival 2025, which took place at Ayia Napa Marina on 25 October, Gkikas said that "this initiative, through exhibitions, discussions and the exchange of knowledge and experiences, highlights the importance of the sea as a common place for development, culture and cooperation”.
Maritime tourism, he continued, is one of the most dynamic forms of alternative tourism, with a significant economic footprint in the countries that have developed it, and with prospects for continuous and rapid growth.
"Its sustainability presupposes the connection of innovation with tradition and development with respect for the environment”, he went on to say.
Referring to the relations between Greece and Cyprus, he noted that they are strategic in the fields of shipping, cruises and maritime tourism.
He said that the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy supports every effort that strengthens the interconnection, safety and sustainability of maritime activities, aiming at a tourism model that benefits local communities and promotes cooperation between the two countries' peoples.
Meanwhile, Director of the Ayia Napa Marina, Costas Fitiris, said that the presence of the President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, at the opening of the International Sea Tourism Festival – ISTF 2025, “marks the beginning of an institution that aspires to become a point of reference for maritime tourism, maritime innovation and sustainable blue development in Cyprus and the Eastern Mediterranean”.
He said due to its geographical position this region, which has two marinas constitutes the closest official entry point to the Republic of Cyprus from the Middle East, offering strategic advantages for attracting superyachts, cruise ships and investors.
Referring to the Festival, he said that it is being organised for the first time in Cyprus, and hosts representatives from the fields of shipping, tourism, the academic community both from Cyprus and abroad.
Through conferences, exhibitions, cultural events and sustainability actions, we seek to present Cyprus, and in particular the government controlled area of Famagusta, as a model of marine tourism and green maritime development in the Eastern Mediterranean, he pointed out.
Concluding, he referred to the humanitarian role of the Ayia Napa marina, saying that "in recent crises in Gaza, Lebanon and Israel, it served as a safe harbour for the provision of humanitarian aid and the repatriation of foreign nationals, children and women, regardless of nationality."
(Source: CNA)
