Nicosia, Cyprus. The Cyprus government is taking steps to protect the tourism sector and counter what it described as misleading perceptions abroad about the country’s stability. President Nikos Christodoulides said authorities are coordinating with industry stakeholders to address concerns over international coverage.
Meeting with tourism stakeholders
Christodoulides spoke during a meeting at the presidential palace with tourism industry stakeholders, convened to coordinate action between the state and the private sector. He said the meeting responded to concerns that international coverage had created a distorted picture of the situation on the island.
“I considered it appropriate to hold this meeting to coordinate our actions in order to address the completely false image that some people, especially abroad, are creating,” he said.
Measures and coordination
The president said authorities had already begun implementing measures and were working closely with the industry to limit any potential impact on visitor numbers and revenues. He said four ministers attended the discussions, citing the broad impact of tourism across government policy areas.
Tourism’s economic role
Tourism is a major pillar of the Cypriot economy, contributing to national income and employment across hospitality, transport and services. The sector generated €3.69 billion in revenue last year, representing 14 per cent of national GDP.
Recent sector performance
Christodoulides said the past two seasons were record-breaking in both arrivals and revenue, referring to the previous year and 2024. “It was important that the previous year, as well as 2024, were record seasons for tourist arrivals and revenue,” he said.
“We are all well aware of the importance of the tourism sector in the country’s GDP and in our economy,” he added.
What steps do you think are most effective for countering misleading perceptions that could affect tourism?
