Cyprus tourism gaining new identity
Cyprus is throwing off its sun and sea destination image to offer other authentic experiences visitors can enjoy, including sports events such as L’Étape by Tour de France, said Deputy Tourism Minister Savvas Perdios.
Perdios presented his ministry’s work on repurposing the country’s tourism.
He said his ministry has been working “incessantly” during the pandemic to create the tourism products which will become the focal point of Cyprus’ new identity going forward.
He said ‘repurposing’ has a deeper meaning and points to a more holistic approach to tourism.
“It urges us to rethink not only the way we promote the destination, but also the way we treat it, how much we take out of it, and how we can give back to it.
“Cyprus has a vast array of authentic experiences visitors can enjoy according to their interests.
“Ultimately, the goal is for Cyprus to rank among the 30 most competitive tourist destinations in the world by the end of the decade. It currently ranks 44.”
This vision rests on five key pillars to establish Cyprus as a year-round destination, a higher-quality destination, a digitally-smart destination, a climate-friendly destination and a place where all residents can benefit from tourism.
Perdios said a lot of money was spent in the last 18 months on infrastructure improvements, especially special interest tourism, including biking and hiking facilities.
He announced that Cyprus will, for the first time, be staging L’ Etape by Tour de France cycling tournament between 2022 and 2024 starting this November.
He pointed out this was important for this special segment of tourism.
“L’Étape Cyprus by Tour de France provides amateur riders with the closest experience to riding a mountainous stage of the Tour de France.”
Cyprus will also stage the DP World Golf Tour between 2022 and 2024, watched by around 500 million people globally.
Perdios said the current tourist trends and preferences include avoiding overcrowding, green tourism, the combination of work and travel, immersive experiences, engagement with the local community and more.
He said that these trends were aligned with the National Tourism Strategy 2030, which had foreseen the need to invest in upgrading and enriching the tourism product.
He also referred to the integrated casino resort opening this summer.
He said the casino resort would contribute to the entertainment aspect and where there will be Michelin star restaurants.
His ministry’s primary focus has been on rural tourism integration involving green and digital transition to support local communities.
They are drafting a law to allow overnight stays in farms and wineries.