Tourism bookings have started to pick up again in recent days, following the slowdown caused by geopolitical developments, Deputy Minister of Tourism Kostas Koumis has said.
He was addressing the annual General Assembly of the Cyprus Hotel Managers Association (CyHMA) at the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce & Industry (CCCI) headquarters on 26 March.
In his address, Koumis said this year’s tourism season is not an easy one, noting, however, that after around 20 days of pressure, booking rates had started to rise again. He said that from the very first day of the geopolitical tensions, the Government had moved swiftly to safeguard both security and Cyprus’ image as a safe destination.
He added that Cyprus is “thousands of kilometres away from the war” and stressed that it is very important, through clear messaging and proper communication, to project that the country is and remains a safe tourism destination.
The Deputy Minister also said that, recognising the importance of tourism, the Government had moved ahead with measures to support employment in the hotel sector and air connectivity, while the Deputy Ministry had already stepped-up promotion and advertising actions in cooperation with strategic partners. He concluded by expressing optimism that, despite the difficulties, the current period could be overcome with positive results.
In his speech, new CyHMA President Nick Aristou highlighted quality, competitiveness, human resources, sustainability and innovation as key priorities, while outgoing President Marios Ellinas said in his address that geopolitical instability had affected the sector and stressed the need to keep hotels operating normally, while maintaining service quality and supporting staff.
CCCI Secretary General Philokypros Roussounides said the new conditions call for collective and strategic action, with emphasis on support for tourism businesses, air connectivity, seasonality and higher value-added experiences.
(Source: CNA)
