Cyprus[/B] is not a destination that offers only sun and sea but also many other authentic experiences, such as sporting events including the L'Étape of the Tour de France, Deputy Minister of Tourism Savvas Perdios said on Monday, presenting the work done on reorienting the country's tourism.
In a presentation entitled "Repurposing Cyprus Tourism", Mr. Perdios said his Deputy Ministry had worked "non-stop" over the past 18 months during the pandemic to create the tourism products that would be the hub of Cyprus' new identity in the future.
Ambassadors, Ministries, Members of the Parliamentary Committee on Energy, Trade, Industry and Tourism, tourism and other local economic operators were invited to the presentation.
Perdios explained that they used the term reorientation because it refers to a more holistic approach to tourism. "It encourages us to rethink not only the way we promote the destination, but also the way we treat it, how much we take away from it and how much we can give back to it," he said.
Perdios presented the new trends and preferences of tourists, focusing on avoiding crowds, interest in the natural environment, combining work and holidays, experiences linked to the local community, etc. As he explained, these trends are aligned with the National Tourism Strategy 2030, which foresaw the need to upgrade and enrich the tourism product. The emphasis on the development of mountainous areas, various grant schemes, product designations (labels), strengthening digital marketing, developing special forms of tourism and the 'Heartland of Legends' route are some of the actions in which the Ministry of State is investing, he said.
For the 'Heartland of Legends', he explained that "as a country, we are making an effort to highlight the authenticity of village life through a 3,000-kilometre route of authentic experiences." Through this product designation, he said, attention is drawn to all elements of "the slow Cypriot way of life" which includes gatherings for food, participation in folklore festivals, religious festivals, cultivating the land and learning traditional arts and crafts. This is among 12 designations that he said would significantly boost Cyprus' tourism product, such as "Cypriot breakfast". Among them is also the "Vegan friendly" label, which has so far been awarded to about 150 businesses.
Perdios also said a lot of money was spent on upgrading villages and small towns. "It is not surprising that the village of Pano Lefkara has just been voted as one of the best tourist villages in the world" by the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), he said. The village of Agros will be awarded again this year if some improvements are made in aspects highlighted by the UNWTO, he added.
The main objective of the Deputy Ministry, he said, is to integrate rural tourism with special emphasis on a green and digital transition to support local communities. "We want to put tourism at the heart of our rural communities by creating a social framework that will reduce inequalities, encourage female entrepreneurship, reduce youth unemployment, support small and medium enterprises such as farmers and artisans," he said, among other things.
To achieve this goal, he said, they are drafting a law to allow overnight stays at farms and wineries, expressing hope that it will be passed this year. He said other bills in the pipeline included improving the quality of luxury camping and glamping sites, the home production of Cypriot food and the creation of fully sponsored handicraft workshops in rural and mountainous areas.
There has been major spending, he said, over the past 18 months on infrastructure improvements, particularly in relation to special interest tourism, including cycling and hiking facilities. He announced that Cyprus will host the L`Etape cycling tournament of the Tour de France for the first time for the next three years, starting in November. The tournament, which according to sources at the Ministry of Tourism is considered a very important sporting event, is an offshoot of the Tour de France where amateur cyclists have the opportunity to follow routes that simulate the conditions of the Tour de France.
Commenting on the event, Perdios said that if someone had said three years ago that something like this could take place in Cyprus, some people might have burst out laughing, but today no one laughs at it.
"It is a fact, and it is very important for this particular sector of tourism," he added.
He also said that Cyprus will host the DP World Golf Tournament World Tour, a sporting event watched by some 500 million people around the world.
The Deputy Minister also announced that the world's largest cruise line, Royal Caribbean International will continue its support for Cyprus this year and next, adding that the company will make its own announcements in due course.
Perdios also referred to the casino-resort, which he said is due to open this summer. He said it will not only contribute to the entertainment sector, but is a place where there will be Michelin-starred restaurants.
Cyprus, he noted, has a huge range of authentic experiences that visitors can enjoy depending on their interests. He said the ultimate goal is for Cyprus to be ranked among the 30 most competitive tourist destinations in the world by the end of the decade. It is currently ranked 44th.
This vision, he added, is to establish Cyprus as a year-round destination, a destination of the highest quality, a digitally smart destination, climate-friendly and where all residents can benefit from tourism.
Cyprus, he concluded, is not only a destination for sun and sea, but offers everyone everything they want: diving, gastronomy, cycling, hiking, culture and history and much more.
Source: CNA
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