Nicosia, Cyprus. President Nikos Christodoulides said on Tuesday that tourism arrivals are down 6.5%, linking the sector closely to national stability amid ongoing geopolitical challenges in the Middle East and Europe.
Tourism strategy presentation in Paralimni-Deryneia
Christodoulides was speaking at the presentation of the new development tourism strategy of the Municipality of Paralimni-Deryneia. He said the geopolitical situation had inevitably affected tourism on the island.
He described the strategy as a municipal response to new challenges and a way to highlight the uniqueness of Cyprus’ tourism product.
Stability, credibility and reforms
Christodoulides said the tourism sector was directly related to the country’s stability and credibility, and stressed the need for reforms and plans to address future challenges.
“I am not downplaying the situation, but we are optimistic,” he said, adding that the past two years delivered record-breaking performance in arrivals and revenue, showing resilience, adaptability and quality.
Focus on India and direct flights
Ahead of an upcoming visit to India, Christodoulides said establishing direct flights from India to Cyprus is a priority.
He noted that direct flights recently started with Greece and described India as a market of a billion people. He said that during his two days in Mumbai and New Delhi, one of the main discussion topics will be Cypriot tourism and attracting tourists from India.
What measures do you think Cyprus should prioritise to strengthen tourism during geopolitical uncertainty?