Cyprus and Greece focus on more markets

Greece and Cyprus are now focusing on other tourism markets to fill the gap left by the lack of visitors from Russia and Ukraine due to the ongoing war, the competent ministers from Cyprus and Greece said last week while addressing a business forum in Ayia Napa.

During a round-table discussion in the framework of a business forum organized by the Famagusta and Piraeus Chambers of Commerce on Thursday, Cypriot Minister of Transport Yiannis Karousos referred to the measures taken to restore Cyprus’ flights and connectivity with the rest of the world during the pandemic, including the Cyprus Flight Pass and the incentive plan prepared by the Ministries of Finance and Transport. “We believed that during the coronavirus crisis there were also opportunities,” he stressed.

He added that the efforts have brought results, since Cyprus’ connectivity index is one of the best in Europe, while together with Greece the two countries had the best indicators of direct connectivity, even before the pandemic.

He added that Cyprus currently had flights to 40 countries, as it did in 2019, underscoring that if it wasn’t for the war in Ukraine, passenger traffic would be even more than it was before the pandemic.

Karousos also said there are currently 700 flights on a weekly basis compared to 460 last year and expressed optimism that Cyprus will absorb the losses from Russia and Ukraine thanks to its preparation.

For her part, Greek Deputy Minister of Tourism Sofia Zacharaki said the pandemic “has strengthened our sense of resilience, the self-confidence that tourism people, businessmen and workers feel, but there are reasonable concerns about human resources.”

She added that in 2021 Greece achieved 60% of 2019 revenues and a 27% increase in average spending, while several markets had started to show greater interest in visiting the country. “There is a lot of interest from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, India and South Korea, France, but also Germany, from which TUI has planned to transport more than 3 million visitors,” she said.

Zacharaki also noted that there was a “conscious decision” to support the increase of Greek visitors to Cyprus, to enjoy not only the sea, but also the mountains, the countryside, villages and all the experiences that Cyprus wants to highlight.*