MAY 2013 ISSUE 03

CTO Concludes Middle East Road Show

Rendezvous with Tony Antoniou

MARKET UPDATE

GENERAL NEWS

TOURISM BOARDS

AGENT NEWS

ACCOMMODATION

NEWS & EVENTS

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

WHO’S MOVED

TRAVEL TALK

RENDEZVOUS

TRAVEL CHANNELS

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Cyprus Tourism Organisation (CTO) sent a 10-member team of travel industry professionals on a promotional road show to the UAE on March 24.

Zening Resorts Elia Village Latchi, a new wellness resort located close to the Akamas

Peninsula, is gearing to launch in the next few weeks.

New Wellness Resort to Open in Latchi

While Limassol continues to gain ground among vari-ous niche tourism segments, Tony Antoniou, chair-man, Limassol Tourism Board, elaborates on the ef-forts being made to enhance the city’s image.

06

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2 MARKET UPDATE

MAY 2013

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MANAGING EDITORMary Kammitsi

mary@traveltradeweekly.travel

JOURNALISTSStefanie Saghbini

Rita Kasziba Dominique Christou

Maria Kazeli

PRESSMaria Demetriadou Pauline Shahabian

DESIGN & LAYOUT

Elena Stylianou

DIRECTORSAndreas Constantinides

Mary Kammitsi

HEADQUARTERST.T.W. Travel Trade Weekly LTD

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Cyprus Ranks 29th in Tourism Competitiveness

Louis Sells Calypso

Cyprus placed 29th globally in the World Economic Forum (WEF)’s The Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report.

T he index, which was based on three main criteria, including travel and tourism framework; business environment and infrastructure; and travel and tourism hu-man, cultural, and natural resources, saw

Cyprus outperform a number of other popular desti-nations in the area, including Greece and Turkey.

In addition, it placed Cyprus among the top 30 most competitive destinations once again, similar to 2011 when the island ranked 24th, and to 2009 when the country was listed as 21st.

In Europe, Cyprus took the 19th spot, while Greece

L ouis announced that within the framework of its policy for the renewal of its fleet, its ship-owner subsidiary Calypso Navigation sold its motor vessel Calypso to Argo Systems, a com-prehensive shipping and logistics group com-

pany registered in Dubai, UAE, whose operations focus on cash buying of vessels for safe recycling.

The ship was sold against the sum of USD2.1 mil-lion (EUR1.6 million) and the sale price represented the value of the ship in the company’s books and therefore no profit or loss emerged.

Tsokkos Hotels recently announced the purchase of a plot of land in Chloraka, Paphos, for the amount of EUR1.035 mil-lion which has already been repaid to the previous owner.

The referred plot of land is adjacent to more land already held by the company on which Tsokkos Hotels is already in the process of building a new five-star hotel, King Evelthon Beach Hotel & Resort.

As Anastasia Tsokkou, managing di-rector, Tsokkos Hotels, revealed, the land will be used for development in relation to the ordinary operations of the compa-ny in the tourism industry.

was placed 22nd on the continent and 32nd globally. According to the report, the Cypriot travel and

tourism industry is estimated to be worth USD1.4 billion (EUR1.07 billion), and WEF projects an annual growth rate of 4.2 percent for the period 2013-2022.

Currently, the industry employs some 25,200 peo-ple, and over the next decade this number is set to climb 1.8 percent annually.

Globally, Switzerland remained the most compet-itive destination, followed by Germany and Austria, and the top 10 also includes Spain, UK, US, France, Canada, Sweden, and Singapore.

In an additional announcement, Louis clarified that the transaction was performed based on the arm’s length principle as Argo Systems is independ-ent and has no connecting ties with Louis or its sub-sidiary companies.

PICTURE OF THE MONTH

Tsokkos Hotels Announces New Investment

Tsokkos Gardens Hotel, Protaras

The ship was sold against the sum of USD2.1 million

(EUR1.6 million) and the sale price represented the value of the ship

in the company’s books

3MONTHLY NEWS

MAY 2013

Cypriot hoteliers are catering very adequately for the needs of Middle East travellers in all respects, and this has been verified by the growing percentage of repeat holidays to the island from the region in the recent years, confirmed Zacharias Ioannides, direc-tor general, Cyprus Hotel Association (CHA).

He further stated that this trend also explains the increasing frequency of flights to the country, especially from the UAE, and remains positive for the future of this segment.

“We are confident that the Middle East can evolve as a very important market for the Cyprus tourism industry, being the nearest European destination for both the Arab nationals and the many expatriates who work in the Middle East and Gulf re-gion, both for their long-term holidays and as an ideal destina-tion for their short breaks,” Ioannides commented.

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) expects Cy-prus to welcome 2,442,000 international visitors this year with the number surging to 3,645,000 by 2023.

According to WTTC’s Travel & Tourism Economic Impact 2013 report, in 2012, the industry generated EUR1.098 bil-lion, representing 6.1 percent of the country’s GDP. This amount, however, is set to fall 1.5 percent this year with the growth picking up again in 2014, increasing the sec-tor’s direct contribution to the island’s economy to EUR1.7 billion by 2023.

Similarly to 2012, the industry is expected to directly sup-port some 26,000 jobs this year and offer 40,000 positions by

2023. According to WTTC, travel and tourism investment in 2012 reached EUR263.3 million, which is anticipated to drop three percent this year, grow and to EUR401.5 million over the next decade.

CHA: Repeat Guests from Middle East Increase

WTTC: Cyprus to Attract over 3.6 Million Visitors by 2023

Cyprus Agrotourism Company Offers the Island’s Nature of Cyprus

Cyprus is home to a number of villages which have a lot to of-fer travellers who wish to experience something different on the island, and for those who have a love for authenticity and nature.

Boasting a membership of over 88 agro tourism lodgings in 51 villages in the mountainous areas of Paphos, Larnaca, Limas-sol, and Troodos, Cyprus Agrotourism Company helps travellers choose a holiday which suits their needs.

There are several categories of ecotourism accommodation from small hotels offering bed and breakfast, a restaurant, and spa, to larger traditional villas featuring several apartments and studios, also able to cater to larger groups.

Cyprus Agrotourism Company also helps travellers obtain the best of the island’s traditional sites, nature trails, and the chance to explore local products.

Troodos Mountains

The industry is expected to directly support some

26,000 jobs this year and offer 40,000 positions

by 2023

4 MONTHLY NEWS

MAY 2013

The golf academy at Eléa Estate has set up a new OptiShot golf simulator, hailed as the only indoor golf simulator offering a 3D golf experience.

With each swing using highly scientific method to capture impact data, the equip-ment reproduces accurate shot shapes and a ball flight based on the player’s club face an-gle, swing speed, tempo, and path, while the MotionView Video Analysis Software enables participants to observe their actual swing mechanics, and further improve their skills.

Eléa Estate Golf Club Debuts New Simulator

Larnaka Municipality hosted the opening ceremony of the international cycling race Volkswagen Cyprus Cycling Tour 2013, which was held in Cyprus from March 23 to 25, with Andreas Louroutziatis, mayor, Larnaca, sig-nalling the kick-off on Saturday, March 23, at the city’s Finikoudes waterfront.

The event was open to all professional and amateur riders, who had the opportuni-ty to climb Cyprus’ mountains, while the aim was to gather as many local and international cyclists as possible, in order to showcase the sport and the beauty of the island.

This year’s race included a ‘Tour of Larn-aca’ event; a 5km route within the city’s com-mercial centre.

Larnaca Opens Cycling Event

On the occasion of the Cyprus Sunshine Cup 2013, Limassol Tourism Board, in col-laboration with Cyprus Tourism Organisa-tion, hosted the famous mountain bike Olympic champion, Jaroslav Kulhavý, for 11 days in Limassol.

Kulhavý, who prepared for his partici-pation in the International Cycling Union’s Mountain Bike World Cup and World Cham-pionship (Marathon) in the city’s district, also participated in the traditional annual cycling event, Cyprus Sunshine Cup.

The famous athlete praised cycling routes in Limassol and Cyprus, describing them as attractive and interesting, while he made special reference to the natural beau-ty along the routes. “There are great trails for cycling and training in the area of Limassol, with alternating images and natural ele-ments that make them suitable for prepara-tion,” he commented.

Olympic Champion Hosted in Limassol

7th Limassol Marathon

This year’s edition of the annual Limassol Marathon GSO has, once again, turned out to be a success among both runners and spectators, with thousands of people from all over the world having flocked to the coastal city on March 24.

The internationally renowned race attracted more than 3,800 runners from 50 dif-ferent countries and over 500 volunteers, marking a significant increase over 2011’s figures, with FBME Bank Group/Corporate Race drawing a record of 2,300 participants from 100 organisations from the private sector, non-governmental organisations, char-ity groups, athletic clubs, and universities.

The fun-filled day, held under the auspices of Kyriacos Kenevezos, minister of edu-cation and culture, Cyprus, included a marathon, half marathon, 10km, 5km, and 1km races, with many of them concluding with Cypriot success.

Spyros Spyrou, managing director, Limassol Marathon GSO, thanked all volunteers for their invaluable support and noted that the seaside marathon route has every potential to become one of the most popular and celebrated events in the Mediterranean area.

7th Limassol Marathon GSO: More than 3,800 Runners

Jaroslav Kulhavý

Andreas Louroutziatis, mayor, Larnaca

Sports Tourism

5MONTHLY NEWS

MAY 2013

Larnaka Municipality and Larnaka Tourism Board welcomed the addition of a new service by easyJet running between Milan and Larnaca.

Both authorities suggest that this development opens up new prospects for growth in tourist arrivals from Italy to the Mediterranean city and Cyprus in general.

More routes are expected in the near future at Larnaka International Airport from destinations in Eastern Europe, which, according to the board, are largely due to the efforts made by Hermes Airports to attract new airlines.

Another positive development is the weekly docking of cruise ships from Israel at Larnaka Port, from the end of March until the end of October, while some routes will include overnight stays in Larnaca.

Larnaca Welcomes New Flights and Cruise Ships

Fini

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ca

Limassol Tourism Board continues its efforts to strengthen relations with the Russian and Ukrainian markets with a series of promotional activities.

During the months of February and March, the company participated in workshops organised by the leading tour operator in Russia for Cyprus, Biblio Globus.

Additionally, Limassol was present at Moscow International Exhibition Travel & Tourism (MITT), whereby Limassol Tourism Board focused on informing and reassuring tour opera-

tors in view of recent developments in the Cyprus economy, and to improve the presentation of the coastal city to both catalogues and electronic media tour operators, in addition to the destination promot-ing itself at exhibitions in Ukraine.

In general, the evidence from these two promising markets, Rus-sia and Ukraine, look positive for the summer season, with expected increases in visitor arrivals reach-ing 30 to 35 percent compared to 2011’s performance.

Efforts to attract Russian and Ukrainian tourists will continue at the same pace in the com-ing months as Limassol Tourism Board aims to ensure the position of the city as a favoured tourist destination.

Between March 27-29, Paphos’ Tourism Development and Promo-tion Programme (ETAP) alongside hoteliers in the city, participated in the Ukraine International Travel & Tourism exhibition (UITT) in the capital, Kiev.

The Ukrainian market for Paphos, this year, remains a prior-ity, and programmes for holidays throughout the summer destina-tion, in addition to direct charter flights entering the city from the European country, are being pro-moted.

At the exhibition, travel agents and other professionals discussed concrete proposals focusing on increasing Ukrainian visitors to Paphos for the summer season and also for 2014.

Additionally, it is now easier to obtain a visa as the procedure is done electronically, and there is easy connectivity from Kiev to Larn-aca, both with Aegean Airlines and Ukraine International Airlines.

Russia and Ukraine: Popular Markets for LimassolFocusing on Ukrainian Tourism to Paphos

MITT, Moscow

Tourism Boards

6 MONTHLY NEWS Tourism Boards

MAY 2013

Cyprus Tourism Organisation (CTO) sent a 10-member team of travel industry professionals on a promotional road show to the UAE on March 24, which covered Dubai and Abu Dhabi, designed to fur-ther develop business and travel links between the two countries.

The initiative was followed by a reinforced presence of the Cyp-riot team at the Gulf Incentive Business Travel & Meetings exhibition, held in Abu Dhabi from March 25 to 27, as the island continues to increase in popularity among the leisure, incentive, and business segments throughout the Arab world, borne from the seven percent increase in the number of tourists from the region in 2012.

Additionally, CTO invited all UAE travel agents to interact on a one-to-one basis with Cypriot destination management companies, travel agents, and hoteliers in order to prepare for the upcoming season and meeting days with the organisation’s partners at specific venues, namely JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai and Millennium Hotel Abu Dhabi.

The first meeting of the newly formed Pafos 2017 board of direc-tors was held in March at Paphos Town Hall where the new mem-bers were introduced to with Savvas Vergas, mayor of Paphos.

Vergas welcomed and congratulated the new committee dur-ing the meeting and assured the recently-elected board of the team’s support.

In turn, the members thanked Vergas and stressed that they will endeavour to crown Paphos a successful cultural capital in 2017.

Pafos 2017: Board of Directors Appointed

Members of the Larnaka Tourism Board recently met to discuss issues on the summer and winter seasons’ potentials for international visitors, as well as ways to enrich the tourist product of the region.

During the meeting, the board analysed ways of de-veloping new infrastructure projects, which can boost winter tourism, such as the creation of more football fields, the utilisation of the existing volleyball facilities at Finikoudes beach, and more.

It was decided that a special meeting should soon be held with other stakeholders while Larnaka Tourism Board, prepares for the winter season.

According to Dinos Lefkaritis, chairman, Larnaka Tourism Board, the city is worth investing in by any business person as there exists a great dynamic for de-velopment and potential for increasing hotel accom-modation, adding that the board identified the Larn-aca’s comparative advantages and is working towards its promotion.

Larnaka Tourism Board: Enhancing the Region’s Tourist Product

CTO Concludes Middle East Road Show

Vassilis Theocharides, director, Middle East and Arabian Gulf Office, CTO (right), Nevine Albert, director of public relations and communications,

Millennium Hotel Abu Dhabi, and Hrach Kalsahakian, sales and marketing manager, Middle East and Arabian Gulf Office, CTO (left)

7MONTHLY NEWSAgents

MAY 2013

In recent statements on the Middle East inbound mar-ket to the island and without omitting the well-known Cypriot hospitality, Yiannis Michaelides, director general, Association of Cyprus Travel Agents (ACTA), pinpointed safety and weather as Cyprus’ main tourism traits.

“Security is a main concern for [Middle East travellers] especially for their family vacations. Our sun and sea prod-uct, which they like, is also a main factor, together with the mild climate, which is not that hot like in their countries. Also, the fact that we are the nearest European country to them with some common cultural characteristics is very important,” Michaelides suggested.

He also referred to tourist visa and air connectivity issues, urging the state to establish speedy processes to address these predicaments. “This comes down to the bi-lateral agreements between our government and each of the neighbouring countries, as airlines do not operate in ’open skies’ environment like they do when they fly be-tween two European countries,” Michaelides concluded.

ACTA: Safety and Weather Are Cyprus’ Highlights

Cyprus is an ideal destination for a short break, thanks to its nice weather and quality accommodation offerings for families, especially for nearby countries such as the MENA region, this according to Astero Efstathiou, senior manager tourism, Louis Travel.

Commenting on the tourist product on display, she suggested that through the creation of further family attractions, such as amusement parks and golf courses, alongside the development of more infrastructures and hotels on the island’s mountainous range, this will attract more tourists from Middle East countries. “Weddings and honeymooners is also a segment that can be de-veloped further,” she added, listing the Lebanese, Emiratis, and Is-raelis as the company’s main feeder markets.

Louis Travel: Family Attractions Needed

Orthodoxou: Gulf Clientele Seeks Investment

The pleasant climate, the beautiful beaches, mountains, and quiet life, are the main elements of Cyprus which attract many visitors from the Middle East to invest in real estate across the island, this according to Antonis Orthodoxou, group manag-ing director, Orthodoxou Group.

“Middle East clients spend on shopping and food there-fore they benefit the tourism industry. Moreover, many of our clients invest in property and that helps the Cyprus economy in general,” he explained.

On another note, Or-thodoxou pointed out that Middle East travellers are very restrictive with their food, a matter which demands extra care.

Orthodoxou also sup-ported that there is a re-quest for casinos from customers of the region and he expressed con-tentment that the new government forwarded a new bill in the parliament regarding this issue.

8 MONTHLY NEWS Air

MAY 2013

Pafos Regional Board of Tourism welcomed Ryanair’s resumption of summer flights to the city on March 25, connecting Paphos with Belgium, Spain, Italy, Germany, Nor-way, Sweden, UK, Poland, Lithuania, Hungary, and Greece.

Ryanair’s two aircraft based in Paphos are set to perform 39 weekly flights from 16 airports of the 11 specified destinations.

The 2013 programme has been further enhanced, compared to 2012, and the board expects a significant increase in individual visitor arrivals in Paphos and Cyprus in general, with similar benefits in the services, trade and hospitality sectors.

At the same time, Pafos Regional Board of Tourism assured that official bodies do their best to assist Ryanair’s and other carriers’ successful presence in Paphos, with penetration into new destinations, increased arrivals, and further upgrading of Pafos International Airport.

Enhanced Ryanair Services to Paphos

Ryan

air

Cyprus’ national carrier, Cyprus Airways, has enhanced its codeshare agreement with Virgin Atlantic, boosting connections through London’s Heathrow Airport on-wards to Manchester, Edinburgh, and Aberdeen.

Disembarkation and boarding of passengers on planes of the two companies through Heathrow Airport takes place in Terminal 1, while passengers will also have the option to interrupt their trip with a stay in London, using the same ticket.

Cyprus Airways started its cooperation with Virgin Atlantic in August 2011, with flights through Heathrow Airport to two airports in New York, Boston, and Los Angeles and vice versa to Larnaca.

Bulgaria Air, the national carrier of Bulgaria, has introduced a new sched-ule to Pafos International Airport, of-fering visitors who seek to spend their summer vacation on the island with more convenient options.

In a bid to provide travellers with more flexibility during the summer season, the airline, whose summer timetable started at the beginning of April, has rescheduled its service to Paphos from Saturday to Tuesday, which can easily be combined with the carrier’s flights to Larnaca, which operates on Mondays, Thursdays, Fri-days, and Sundays.

In addition, Bulgaria Air has also introduced a new baggage policy on its routes to both Pafos International Airport and Larnaka International Airport, allowing passengers to carry with them two pieces of checked-in baggage free of charge.

Cyprus Airways-Virgin Atlantic: Expand Codeshare

Bulgaria Air Releases New Schedule to Paphos

Cyprus Airways

9MONTHLY NEWSAir

MAY 2013

For the second consecutive year, Na-khal & Cie, a leading travel agency in Lebanon, is organising direct flights, twice-weekly, on Mondays and Fri-days, between Beirut and Paphos, to encourage the tourism sector in both destinations this summer.

Nakhal & Cie had succeeded in 2012 by introducing Paphos and nearby cities in Cyprus to Lebanese tourists, and also encouraged Cypri-ots and travellers in Paphos to visit Beirut for a short break.

The flight and hotel packages can be booked from Nakhal & Cie’s offices in Beirut or from the local travel agents in Paphos and other cities across Cyprus.

Direct Flights Between Paphos and Beirut

Lufthansa: Improves Operations to Cyprus

Lufthansa is continuing to expand its services to popular leisure travel desti-nations, including Cyprus, with its recently launched summer timetable offer-ing nine weekly direct flights to the island.

The airline’s summer schedule, which runs until October 26, includes six weekly services from Frankfurt and three weekly flights from Munich to Cyprus. Overall, travellers have a choice of 218 Lufthansa destinations in 82 countries.

“This summer we are again offering new flights to fantastic holiday des-tinations around the Mediterranean and expanding our expertise in the holi-day travel segment,” commented Jens Bischof, member, Lufthansa German Airlines Board.

Wizz Air, one of the largest low-cost carriers in Central and Eastern Europe, has added yet another route from Larnaca to its network with the introduction of direct flights be-tween Katowice and the coastal city.

The launch of the new service forms part of the airline’s initiative to optimise its Polish network in order to meet current passenger demand and offer more options to Scandi-navia as well as popular holiday destinations, and comes at a time when the Polish Institute of Tourism forecasts a strong growth in the number of Poles travelling abroad.

Starting May 30, flights between Kato-wice, the southern Polish city with an esti-mated population of 3.5 million, and Larnaca will be operated on Thursdays, and are ex-pected to bring thousands of Polish visitors to the island, as Daniel de Carvalho, corporate communications manager, Wizz Air, noted.

“Wizz Air’s low fares on these new routes are set to further stimulate Polish air travel. We expect our traffic on the new Gdansk route to Kristiansand to be approximately 30,000 pas-sengers in the first year and the combined traf-fic on the two Katowice routes to Naples and Larnaca will be in excess of 30,000 passengers.”

Wizz Air Launches New Route from Larnaca

Cyprus Airways: Flights to Russia to Continue

Transaero Airlines: Summer Flights to Cyprus

The Cypriot national airline has negated claims that it is to reduce its services frequency to Rus-sia, confirming that flights to Moscow will increase this year, with the addition of the Paphos-Moscow route once weekly.

Cyprus Airways’ schedule for the summer season includes a total of 12 flights a week, out of which eight travel to and from Moscow, and four to and from St. Petersburg.

According to the airline’s statement, the only difference compared to 2012 is the reduction of flights from the north-western Russian city, which became necessary as a result of the charter flights extension period.

Concluding, the statement informs that the company’s management is working feverishly, after governmental instructions, to present to an inter-ministerial committee alternative options that will determine the national carrier’s future.

Transaero Airlines has unveiled its summer schedule, with the season’s timetable featuring more than 190 routes, an all-time record and nearly 20 percent more than 2012’s schedule.

The carrier’s international routes from Russia’s regional centres, which will exceed 65, rep-resenting a 50 percent year on year increase, will include direct flights to Larnaca and Paphos, taking off from 10 and nine Russian cities respectively.

Scheduled routes to Larnaca will originate at Kazan and Rostov-on-Don, while the rest will serve as charter flights from Moscow, Yekateriburg, Krasnodar, Nizhniy Novgorod, Omsk, Sa-mara, Tyumen, and Chelyabinsk.

Pafos International Airport will welcome scheduled services from Moscow, Yekaterinburg, Novosi-birsk, Samara, and Ufa, and charter flights from Volgograd, Kaliningrad, Nizhniy Novgorod, and Perm.

Luft

hans

a

10 MONTHLY NEWS Accommodation

MAY 2013

Anassa, Annabelle, and Almyra, all part of Thanos hotels, are well equipped and ready to cater to the needs of Middle East travellers in terms of food, family orien-tated settings, and religious facilities.

This was asserted by Sophia Liveras Atallah, sales manager, Thanos Hotels, who explained, “We can always cater for specific food requirements, but a num-ber of Cypriot dishes are not too different from the Middle East and weekly we have international and themed buffet meals at all hotels in season.

“All three Thanos Hotels have family areas, rooms, and great kids clubs for all ages, from babies to 17 years old. Other than Anassa having a small byzantine church on site, the hotels have no reli-gious orientation, but areas for services or prayer rooms can be arranged upon request.”

She advocated that the island has the potential to become a favourite destina-tion for Arab clientele as it is the perfect short-stay spot, with distances ranging from 22-minute to four-hour daily direct flights, while weather is great all year round, and culture is hospitable, friendly, and non-intrusive to the individual.

Thanos Hotels: All Properties Poised to Host Arab Clientele

Ana

ssa

Otis Greece and Cyprus, subsidiary of Otis Elevator Com-pany, has undertaken to install energy-saving elevators at the new five-star luxury King Evelthon Beach Hotel & Resort in Paphos, Tsokkos Hotels’ latest venture.

The elevators incorporate ReGen drive technology that re-duces energy consumption by up to 75 percent compared to conventional systems, restoring the energy produced by the elevator’s movement to the electrical system of the building, making that power available to be used for other functions.

Nasos Bikas, managing director, Otis Greece and Cyprus, said, “We are very pleased to be part of this prestigious project and be-lieve our long relationship with the customer and their trust in our company’s prod-ucts and services were fac-tors in our selection.”

King Evelthon Beach Hotel & Resort is expected to open in July, featuring 250 guestrooms, 100,000m2 of gardens, dining outlets, and sport facilities.

Otis to Furnish New Property

Hébe Spa at Columbia Beach Hotel, Pissouri, has been select-ed as a finalist at this year’s World Luxury Spa Awards which commends and recognises outstanding achievements in ser-vice excellence.

Hébe Spa’s nomination in the ‘Best Luxury Resort Spa’ cate-gory follows a number of accolades received by the spa, and is expected to attract attention of global spa goers as well as in-dustry professionals, as Marinique de Wet, executive manager, World Luxury Spa Awards, indicated.

“Consumers are increasingly using the list of winners and fi-nalists as a reliable guide and means of reassurance when choos-ing their next spa destination evident from increasing visits to the awards website.” She further noted that this year witnessed a record number of nominations for what is being described as the highest accolade a spa can ever hope to receive.

“In these tough economic times, our spas and wellness retreats have shown their anticipation to succeed and have come out even stronger than before. The World Luxury Spa Awards are there to recognise the very best of the best and raise the bar of service excellence even higher than before,” de Wet concluded.

Columbia Beach Resort’s Hébe Spa among the Bests

King Evelthon Beach Hotel & Resort

11MONTHLY NEWSAccommodation

MAY 2013

New Wellness Resort to Open in Latchi

Zening Resorts Elia Village Latchi, a new wellness re-sort located in the village of Latchi, close to the Akamas Peninsula, is gearing to launch in the next few weeks.

According to Vaida Rickute, marketing director, Ze-ning Resorts, the property is a new concept resort that aims to provide a ‘soul’ vacation, with its strong com-mitment to sustainable tourism. She added that the resort has been designed to nurture the well-being of the mind, body, and soul, and provides gentle guidance towards a healthy body and mind with yoga, fitness, nutritious organic foods, detox programmes, Ayurveda spa, herbal therapies, and meditation sessions, exclu-sively welcoming guests 18 years of age and above.

Zening Resorts Elia Village Latchi will feature two juice bars, one late night café and two restaurants, a spa, and beauty salon offering therapeutic and beauty treatments with the use of essential oils, herbs, and nat-ural products, while accommodation will be provided with 135 suites, one-bedroom and maisonette apart-ments in 17 clusters.

With occupancy reaching peak levels of 75 percent in November 2012, Semeli Hotel, Nicosia, is targeting potentially promising markets by building more cor-porate relationships and using online channels, this according to Nicolas Nicolaou, general manager, Se-meli Hotel.

Nicolaou supports that the Middle East could con-tribute significantly in the hotel’s annual occupancy stressing that the team continuously strives to fulfil all travellers’ needs and preferences no matter the origin.

“I definitely believe that Middle East can evolve as an important market for Cyprus’ tourism industry both in terms of business, as well as leisure travellers. Cy-prus’ geographical location can definitely attract more investments from the growing Middle East market, and Cyprus’ culture, being so close to most of the Middle East countries on some aspects, and its natural beau-ties will definitely attract more guests for leisure,” he concluded.

Semeli Hotel: Middle East is an Important Market

12 MONTHLY NEWS Accommodation

MAY 2013

The Middle East has traditionally been a source market for the centrally located Cleopatra Hotel in Nicosia, according to Christiana Iacovidou, general manager, Cleopatra Hotel, who explained that it is one of the segments with potential for the future, due to its close proximity to Cyprus and the business relations created with the island’s neighbouring countries.

The specific market currently com-prises 10 percent of the hotel’s revenue, however Iacovidou expects this figure to rise. “The property caters for the needs of Middle East travellers regarding food items and dishes presented in our men-us, taking in consideration each coun-try’s differentiation in food preferences. The property provides family rooms and suites when requested, offers a swim-ming pool for kids, in-room facilities, such as water kettles and cots for infants and baby sitting,” she informed.

Cleopatra Hotel to Increase Middle East Figures

The iconic hotel located in Nicosia’s cen-tre, Hilton Cyprus, was the associate hotel hosting the EU Presidency delegates during Cyprus’ leadership in the second semester of 2012, positively influencing the annual per-formance of the property.

This was revealed by Claire Sirrieh, busi-ness development manager, Hilton Cyprus, who added that the hotel is also favoured by all business travellers from the Middle East, an expanding market with future po-tential on the island, especially after the gas prospective.

The five-star hotel is close to the busi-ness district, banks, embassies, and gov-ernment offices, and is within walking dis-tance to the entertainment and shopping area of Nicosia’s downtown centre, while it features extensive recreational facilities such as a fully-equipped health club, in-door and outdoor pools, and tennis courts, to name a few.

Hilton Cyprus: EU Presidency Boosted Performance

Hilton Cyprus

Ayii Anargyri Natural Healing Spa Resort, recorded 5,500 bed nights in 2012 with its main feeder markets being Cyprus, UK, Germany, and Netherlands.

Sharing this information, Nafsika Michael, sales manager, Z&X Group, an affiliate company which handles marketing issues for the resort, said that this year the prop-erty expects a new clientele base as fresh cooperations with tour operators and travel agents are underway. Michael also revealed that the group is poised to participate in various exhibitions, promoting the property.

Ayii Anargyri Natural Healing Spa Resort features luxury accommodation spanning 2,500m2, with 56 rooms and suites, a spa with 22 treatments rooms, exclusive dining, wine cellar, spectacular setting for weddings and events, and nature trails.

Ayii Anargyri: New Collaborations

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13MONTHLY NEWSEvents

MAY 2013

EVENTS

Flower Festival Limassol, Cyprus, May 12 – 13, 2013(www.limassoltourism.com)Yermasoyia celebrates the arrival of springtime with its annual flower market and a spectacular parade of flower-decorated floats.

Taxidi ExhibitionNicosia, Cyprus, May 17 – 19, 2013(www.taxidiexhibition.com)Organised by the Association of Cyprus Travel Agents in cooperation with Display Art, the exhibition con-stitutes the ideal forum where travellers can obtain valuable and comprehensive information on tourist destinations and travel packages.

Cyprus International FairNicosia, Cyprus, May 24 – June 2, 2013(www.csfa.org.cy)The largest trade show in Cyprus with hundreds of ex-hibitors and thousands of visitors.

Aphrodite FIVA World Rally 2013Limassol, Cyprus, May 26 – June 2, 2013(www.fivawrcyprus2013.eu)Organised by the Cyprus Federation of Classic Vehicles, the event will show participants the beauties of Cyprus.

13th International Pharos Chamber Music FestivalNicosia, Larnaca, and Paphos, Cyprus, May 21 – June 1, 2013(www.thepharostrust.org/chambermusicfestival.htm)Having established itslef as the most important an-nual classical music event on the island, this show has gained international reputation for its quality concerts.

European Dance FestivalNicosia and Limassol, Cyprus, June 6 – 30, 2013(www.rialto.com.cy)One of the most important cultural events of Cyprus, being organised for the 15th consecutive year.

The Cyprus - Russian FestivalLimassol, Cyprus, June 8, 2013(www.pafc.com.cy)Traditionally held in Limassol on the first Saturday of summer, this year’s festival, which annually receives about 10,000 visitors, will have three scenic areas, lur-ing in more than 1,000 Russian and Cypriot artists.

Limassol Wine Festival 2013Limassol, Cyprus, August 29 – September 8, 2013(www.limassolmunicipal.com.cy)Set within the city’s municipal gardens, situated near the sea, this year’s wine festival celebrates its 52nd edition, once again reviving ancient festive manifestations.

Millennium Hotel Abu Dhabi Hosts CTO Workshop

Cyprus to Host Sailing Championship

Centre for Wine and Gastronomy in Vouni

An event was held in March for the daily op-eration of the centre for wine and gastrono-my in the rural community of Vouni, Limassol.

On the occasion, organised by vari-ous local authorities, amongst which were Troodos Development Company and Troodos Regional Board of Tourism, Yiorgos Lakkotrypis, minister of commerce, industry and tourism, addressed the attendees and described Vouni as a remarkable example of exploiting opportunities for agrotourism, featuring cobbled streets, traditional houses

with courtyards, agrotouristic lodges, rich wine tradition, and taverns offer unique pleasures.

Lakkotrypis further expressed certainty that the network of 10 thematic centres, which are set to operate in Troodos, will greatly contribute to offering visitors a unique experience. Concluding, he con-gratulated the communities’ participation in the programme, particularly the mayors and members of community councils, wishing them every success.

In late March, Cyprus Tourism Organisation’s Middle East and Arabian Gulf office and Travel and Tour-ism Agencies Council held a workshop at the Millennium Hotel Abu Dhabi, in a bid to gather together the Cypriot industry professionals representing travel agents and hotels.

The campaign ‘Cyprus In Your Heart Roadshow in Abu Dhabi’ was attended by major travel agen-cies in the UAE where the face-to-face network session was followed by snacks and refreshments in the ballroom of the Millennium Hotel Abu Dhabi and where all the delegates were greeted by Nevine Albert, director of PR and communication, Millennium Hotel Abu Dhabi.

Cyprus continues to strengthen its position in the sailing world and following Pavlos Kontides’ silver medal success at the Olympic Games in London, the island is gearing up to stage one of the most prestigious events of the year, the 2013 ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship.

According to the Cyprus Sailing Federation, preparations are already well underway for the event, which will run between July 13 - 20 in Limassol.

Up to now, over 340 sailors from more than 50 countries have qualified participation in the 43rd edition of the championship, which is expected to attract hundreds of spectators.

Vouni, Limassol

14 MONTHLY NEWS International

MAY 2013

Aegean Airlines has launched its new routes programme for this year which includes the addition of 29 new scheduled international services from a total of 12 airports, eight of which function as bases of the company, namely Athens, Thessaloniki, Herak-lion, Rhodes, Corfu, Kos, Kalamata, and Larnaca.

Moreover, there will be activity with direct international flights from Chania, Alex-androupolis, Zakynthos, and Skiathos.

Aegean Airline’s flight network for the year includes five new countries; Ukraine, Switzerland, Poland, Sweden, and Azerbaijan, and features 10 new international des-tinations; Geneva, Manchester, Lyon, Stockholm, Kiev, Baku, Berlin, Nuremberg, Hano-ver, and Warsaw, as it continues to increase significantly.

Aegean Airlines: Pillar of Greek Tourism

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Wizz Air, considered the largest low-cost airline in Central and Eastern Europe, plans to add Azerbaijan to its growing route map with services between Budapest and Baku due to commence on June 17.

The route, which will connect the two countries directly for the first time, will ini-tially operate twice weekly and is expected to serve over 30,000 passengers in the first year.

The carrier, which is due to debut in the Middle East in October, pursues a ‘Go East’ strategy, as Váradi József, CEO, Wizz Air, ex-plained.

“The expansion of our Budapest net-work with Tel Aviv, Kiev, and Dubai reflects Hungary’s appeal to the ever-growing po-tential of incoming tourism from Eastern markets,” highlighted József.

Enterprise Rent-A-Car has announced the appointment of its third European franchisee this year, Sfakianakis Group, as yet an-other step in its commitment to establish the flagship brand as a global car rental provider.

Following Enterprise Rent-A-Car's recent expansion into France, Spain, Portugal, and Italy, and combined with its established pres-ence in the UK, Ireland, and Germany, this latest agreement in Greece will give the brand access to countries that together repre-sent almost 90 percent of the European rental market.

With Sfakianakis Group receiving territorial franchise rights across other contiguous countries in South Eastern Europe, the relationship also opens the door to further expansion.

Other territories covered include Albania, Bosnia and Herze-govina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Former Yugoslavian Repub-lic of Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, and Slovenia.

Wizz Air Enters AzerbaijanEnterprise Rent-A-Car Partners with Sfakianakis Group

The expansion of our Budapest net-work with Tel Aviv,

Kiev, and Dubai reflects Hungary’s

appeal to the ever-growing

potential of incom-ing tourism from Eastern markets

15WHO'S MOVED

MAY 2013

Wizz Air Enters Azerbaijan

STATHIS MAVROMATIS

Stathis Mavrommatis has been appoint-ed as cluster general manager of Zening Resorts, Elia Village Latchi.Mavrommatis, who has 18 years of leader-ship experience in the hospitality industry, particularly in leading luxury hotels and resorts, was the general manager of Anas-sa, Latchi, for seven years before joining Zening Resorts, Elia Village Latchi.He expressed his excitement and honour to be given the responsibility to launch

what he described as a unique upscale resort chain with aspirations to provide the highest quality of service and set new standards in luxury and customer care. Additionally, Mavrommatis proclaimed his lifelong commitment to hospitality and deep love for Cyprus and especially the area of Polis and Latchi; a region which he feel is an ideal location for the Zening Resorts concept, due to its natural beauty and healthy climate.

STATHIS MAVROMMATIS

16 TRAVEL TALK

MAY 2013

VASSILIS THEOCHARIDES

ZACHARIAS IOANNIDES

Victoria Gladunova

Director, Middle East and Arabian Gulf Office, Cyprus Tour-ism Organisation (CTO).

Director general, Cyprus Hotel Association (CHA).

Spa manager, Hébe Spa, Columbia Beach Resort Pissouri.

“If we take Cyprus as an investment index, we have been do-ing very well in the region, with a minimal investment and steady year-on-year returns which are positive. Our main goals were to increase airlines [to Cyprus] from the region, where the UAE is a good example. In 2005 only, Emirates flew five times a week; now they fly daily with larger planes and of course Etihad Airways flies three times a week. Traffic has also increased in Lebanon through charter flights to Paphos, which was an unknown destination, and with civil marriages, which was a specific target we promoted since 2007. CTO also opened the Iranian market which adds overall to the arrivals.”

“The importance of the respective arrivals to our island for the Middle East and Gulf countries should not be underestimated, as they demonstrate an increasing proportion in the recent years. Specifically, and as a useful example, is the case of Leba-non whose tourist arrivals to Cyprus reached last year almost 26,000 [in 2012] […]. This importance can be fostered even fur-ther with the adoption of an open skies policy governing the flights between Cyprus and the countries of the Middle East and Gulf, which can enormously improve the competitiveness of [the island], making it much more accessible and at much lower airfares.”

“We are truly honoured to have received this award [as one of the finalists on the Best Luxury Resort Spa category at the World Luxury Spa Awards]. This is in addition to our Cyprus’ Leading Spa Resort awards won in 2012, 2011, and 2008, along with Mediterranean’s Leading Spa Resort 2009 award, all from the World Travel Awards, [and] the Best Spa Hotel, Cy-prus 2012-2013 award from the International Hotel Awards.All of this would not be possible without our determined, professional, and friendly spa team. Hébe Spa has unique signature treatments, [...] complimented by our revolution-ary high performance medi-spa treatments […].”

STAVROS STAVROUChairman, Cyprus Airways.

“[Cyprus Airways is] continuously improving the compa-ny’s communication with its passengers, which is updat-ed via e-mails or by SMS. Our website, which has become the main outlet for booking, is also continuously upgrad-ed and aside from Greek, English, German, French, and Italian, it has been further enhanced with the option for Russian language. We are also looking into other services which can be launched in the near future.”

TRAVEL TALK IS YOUR SPACE – this is a casual forum for travel industry professionals to discuss current issues and share stories. We want to hear from you, so send your comments, questions, frustrations and observations to

editorial@traveltradecyprus.travel

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[Our website] has been further enhanced with the option for Russian language

17RENDEZVOUS

MAY 2013

Q & A with Francis-Nectarios GuyBoasting a history of winemaking which stretches back over 5,500 years, Cyprus is one of the first countries in the world to have produced wine, and here Dr. Francis-Nectarios Guy, director, The Cyprus Wine Museum, shares his views on the importance of local culture and educating locals and visitors alike.

Francis-Nectarios GuyDirector, The Cyprus Wine Museum

Travel Trade Cyprus: Since its opening in Novem-ber 2004, The Cyprus Wine Museum has attracted visitors from all over the world. Looking back at 2012, how would you summarise the past year?

Francis-Nectarios Guy: The Cyprus Wine Museum, with the extended units of its exhibits that cover all the Cypriot wine history and also its general opera-tion that serves more than one social need, succeed-ed also in 2012 in its primary goal, which is to invite its visitors on a unique journey of 5,500 years of wine- making in Cyprus, here at Erimi, at the birthplace of the European wine.

The main highlights for the museum have been during the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the Eu-ropean Union. The Cyprus Wine Museum was select-ed as a museum to be visited, as a venue for private dinners and wine tastings, and as a venue for cultural functions, such as concerts with the museum orches-tra, The Commandaria Orchestra, and exhibitions.

The Cyprus Wine Museum, during the past eight years of its operation, has succeeded, among others, to build a strong collaboration with the Cypriot tourism in-dustry; develop collaborations with artists and scientific specialist researchers, with local and foreign organisa-tions, as well as others; organise exhibitions and cultural events in Cyprus and abroad; and to create a unique website that is in a high rank in the web search engines.

All of the above factors have contributed to an increase in visitor numbers every year, while in 2012 the number even doubled. This year seems to be even more promising than 2012.

Travel Trade Cyprus: How popular is The Cyprus Wine Museum with foreign visitors to the island?

Francis-Nectarios Guy: The Cyprus Wine Museum attracts visitors from all over the world, either in or-ganised groups or as individuals. It gains popularity from its website, publications, and cultural activities. [It] targets people that love and appreciate Cyprus as a country, but also its culture, history, and wine of all ages and nationalities.

The museum building is found at the birthplace of the European wine, Erimi village, and is also locat-ed on the most historically important crossroads on the island, at the old freeway between Limassol and Paphos; on Knight’s street, which leads to The Com-mandaria Castle or as it is known today, Kolossi Castle.

Finally, it is placed at the starting point of the Wine Routes of Cyprus and is also suggested to be visited in the fourth route and fifth route, the Kraso-choria Lemesou (Wine Villages of Limassol), and Com-mandaria route. All these help the Museum to attract high numbers of visitors.

Travel Trade Cyprus: What kind of initiatives are being implemented to attract more visitors?

Francis-Nectarios Guy: The Cyprus Wine Museum continually enriches its exhibits and organises ex-hibitions in collaboration with other museums and organisations. The museum is also soon to establish

its brand new website in three languages, on which one can find a great source of information on Cyprus wine, history, and culture, as well as the wine routes. The texts, photographs and maps uploaded intrigue people to visit the museum for a live tour guided by its adept personnel and with the pleasure of tasting local wines and delicacies.

The website alone is not enough, so the museum has its own publications, which are sold in every major and important archaeological site and museum in Cyprus, and which are also being distributed to other countries.

The strong collaboration with the Cypriot tourist industry and the various formal dinners and cultural functions held at the museum’s premises are a great means of attracting visitors.

Travel Trade Cyprus: As director of a museum, how important is it, do you think, to preserve the local culture and educate present and future generations about the history and heritage of a destination?

Francis-Nectarios Guy: Our legacy is our history. We most deeply believe that a country loses its identity if it does not preserve its history and heritage. The Cyprus Wine Museum is visited by all schools, from kindergar-ten to university, as part of educational excursions of the Cyprus Ministry of Education and Culture, during the course of which our adept personnel teach the value of the history of our country and also the significance of wine in it. Cypriot families find the museum unique and also ideal for their members to learn and value our legacy. This is something we also wish to carry to the museum’s foreign visitors. That is why we use traditional and contemporary methods in order to show the signifi-cance of the past in our present and future.

Travel Trade Cyprus: Tell us about your plans for the coming months.

Francis-Nectarios Guy: Our main goal is to continue The Cyprus Wine Museum’s great work, achieve further establishment in more sections and countries, and also enlarge the collaboration with the tourist industry. Dur-ing the next few months, we will start promoting The Cyprus Wine Museum products. The line to be avail-able first is The Cyprus Wine Museum Senses Wines & Spirits. By the end of the year, the first four Cyprus Wine Museum Senses product lines will be available at the museum’s shop as well as from the museum’s e-shop.

A country loses its identity if it does not preserve its history and heritage

18 TRAVEL CHANNELS

MAY 2013

Orthodoxou Group Supports Youth

On its own initiative, Orthodoxou Group has undertaken to assist the efforts being made to renovate the personal

spaces of children at Larnaca Youth Hostel.

Distinguished scientists from Europe and other countries travelled to Cyprus to participate in an international conference for the protection of vul-tures, organised by BirdLife Cyprus, an active con-servation organisation on the island, within the framework of GYPAS project for the protection of the largest bird in the country’s fauna.

The event was held on March 6-8 at Elias Beach Hotel, Limassol, and attendees included scientists from abroad specialised in the management of vul-tures, which provided their expertise on issues such as protecting and enhancing the population, rein-troducing the species, monitoring, and inventory.

Vulture Conservation Conference in Cyprus

Crystal Cruises and Century Travel Launch New Website

Attendees included scientists from abroad specialised in the management of vultures,

which provided their expertise on issues such as protecting and enhancing the population, reintro-

ducing the species, monitoring, and inventory

GYPAS aims at strengthening the vulture pop-ulation in Cyprus as there are only about 10 vul-tures in free state on the island.

The project is being financed at 80 percent by the European Regional Development Fund and at 20 percent by Greece’s and Cyprus’ national funds, as part of the cooperation programme between the two countries.

Project partners in Cyprus are the Game Ser-vice, BirdLife Cyprus, and the Forestry Department, while partners in Greece are the Crete Natural His-tory Museum, the University of Crete, and the Mu-nicipality of Gortynas.

Vultures

I n collaboration with several children, ornaments and appliances for use in public and private areas have been bought.

This activity falls within Orthodoxou Group’s commitment for social contri-bution which aims at actively supporting such initiatives. Antonis Orthodoxou, managing director, Orthodoxou Group, commented that during these financially

hectic times everyone is going through, it is the company’s duty to support such efforts, contributing to the local community as well as on national level in general.

Crystal Cruises, Etihad Airways’ partner through its distributing agent in the UAE, Century Travel, has launched a new dedicated website for the UAE.

The rich-in-content website provides detailed information on all Crystal Cruises’ voyages and features a user-friendly enquiry interface whereby a Crys-tal Cruises expert provides assistance for travel agents when placing a book-ing for their clients.

Founded in Cyprus in 2008, following 30 years of experience in the UK, Century Travel has grown into a worldwide luxury cruise line tour operator offering voyages to a large range of destinations around the world and exclu-sively represents a large number of five-star and six-star cruise lines in Cyprus, including Crystal Cruises.

Daniel Essex, CEO, Century Travel, said, “Luxury cruising is growing at a re-markable pace, becoming an increasingly popular leisure choice for the dis-cerning traveller resident in the UAE. Our aim through the new website is to allow for easy access to the experiential philosophy of each of the two ships, while providing the personal touch to service which continues to set Crystal Cruises apart.”

Crystal Serenity

19RENDEZVOUS

MAY 2013

Q & A with Tony AntoniouWhile Limassol continues to gain ground among various niche tourism segments, Tony Antoniou, chairman, Limassol Tourism Board, reveals the reasons and objectives behind the coastal city’s mammoth developments and elaborates on the efforts being made by travel and tourism professionals across the island to enhance its image.

Tony AntoniouChairman, Limassol Tourism Board

Travel Trade Cyprus: How would you describe 2012 overall in terms of incoming visitation fig-ures and Limassol’s tourism product?

Tony Antoniou: Overall tourist income increased by 10 percent in 2012 compared to 2011. Increase in arrivals was at three percent, which shows that the per-visitor spending has increased. Therefore our ef-forts towards attracting the quality visitor to Cyprus are in the right direction.

The Limassol Tourism Board has been aiming at upgrading the product offering of Limassol as a tourist destination by promoting improvements in basic and tourist infrastructure in cooperation with the government, local authorities, and the private sector. The only way to attract quality tourists is to continuously upgrade the tourist product maintain-ing our positioning as a hospitable cosmopolitan sea-side destination.

Travel Trade Cyprus: Which are the new develop-ments, additions, and investments in the city, ex-pected to change its face and image?

Tony Antoniou: The biggest project in Limassol right now is the Limassol Marina; a EUR350 million project whose real estate developments will be completed in 2014.

This project puts Limassol on the map of nau-tical tourism, and it attracts the interest of mainly yacht owners who obviously have a certain financial status.

Additionally, during the last decade, Limassol has developed significantly as an international busi-ness centre which contributes to the amount and quality of tourist arrivals we attract.

The municipalities of the region have also been very active in improving their infrastructure. New projects like the Sea-Side park ‘Prokymea’ (known as Molos area), the refurbished Limassol Zoo, and many more are really adding to a visitor’s experience.

The Cyprus Ports Authority has two very impor-tant projects underway; the new passengers’ area at the Limassol port and the refurbishment of the old fishing port, which will become a recreational area with restaurants, cafés, and other outlets for both lo-cals and visitors to enjoy their time by the sea.

At the same time, the private sector is investing in new projects or improvements of existing ones

and we have many examples such as the Olympic towers (tallest buildings on the sea-side road) and the Crowne Plaza Hotel (previously Holiday Inn hotel).

Travel Trade Cyprus: What new festivals and events are you planning for the year in order to attract tourists and locals alike?

sise Limassol’s position as the ‘Gastronomy Capital of Cyprus’.

Travel Trade Cyprus: How important is the busi-ness tourism sector to Limassol and how is this market growing, if so?

Tony Antoniou: Business tourism has been a major contributor to Limassol’s success as a high quality destination. As a well-established international busi-ness centre, Limassol welcomes thousands of associ-ates, employees, friends, and family of this business community every year.

Additionally, Limassol is dynamically developing as a conference destination. Half the conferences or-ganised in Cyprus take place in Limassol. This is the reason why we truly believe that the development of the International Limassol Conference Centre should be a priority.

Such a conference centre will attract big events which cannot be organised in Cyprus right now due to lack of venues and will significantly contribute towards dealing with seasonality, since such events mostly take place off season. Currently, we have numerous hotels and independent conference centres in Limassol that have been very successful in organising small and medium conferences and events.

Travel Trade Cyprus: Which are your main inter-national feeder markets in terms of nationality?

Tony Antoniou: Right now, the fastest growing markets are Russia and Ukraine. With the changes in visa procedures, the arrivals from these countries have experienced vast increases. I truly believe that there is a lot of potential from these markets and our efforts at this moment concentrate significantly on this direction.

At the same time, no one can deny the impor-tance of the UK market, which might be declining but it is arithmetically the most important one for Cyprus. After all, we have become a mature desti-nation for this market but nevertheless we can re-invent ourselves as a tourist destination for British people and manage to make a come-back.

Another market we consider important is Ger-many, even though connectivity suffers at the moment.

Tony Antoniou: The Limassol Tourism Board is pro-moting both locally and abroad all annual Limassol events which are plenty. Known as the ‘town of fun and entertainment’, Limassol hosts numerous festi-vals such as the Limassol Carnival, Flower Festival, Wine Festival, Almond Festival, Street Life Festival, In-ternational Festival of Ancient Greek Drama, as well as many annual athletic events; to name just a few, the Limassol Marathon GSO, Tour of Cyprus Cycling Chal-lenge, Lemesia, and Cyprus Sunshine Cup. On our website, limassoltourism.com, one can find a full list of annual events so as to plan accordingly.

Currently, we are assisting the organisers of most events in terms of promotion to visitors, and along with the Limassol Chamber, the municipality of Li-massol and [the athletic club] GSO are co-organis-ing the International Limassol Marathon GSO. Our plans for the future include the establishment of a Gastronomy Festival in Limassol, further to a recom-mendation by the Limassol Municipality, to empha-

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