An island steeped in history and culture, Cyprus has an opportunity.
The Mediterranean island, officially the Republic of Cyprus, set records for tourism in 2019 and, after a pandemic drop, reached about 90% of tourism revenues in 2022, a huge sign for a country that has long relied on inbound travel to drive. its economy.
This week, HE Savas Perdios, Deputy Minister of Tourism of Cyprus, spoke to TMR about what’s going on with the island and how its current focus is showing all it has to offer North American travelers. Here’s what he had to say, plus some basic information about the island of Cyprus.
Where is Cyprus?
Cyprus is an island located in the northeastern Mediterranean Sea, west of Lebanon, north of Israel, and south of Turkey. It is the third largest island in the region, with an area of more than 3,500 sq. miles. According to VisitCyprus, the population of the island is less than one million.
What is the weather?
VisitCyprus calls the climate an “extreme Mediterranean climate” with long dry summers and mild winters. Temperatures during the hottest months of July and August can rise to 100 degrees Fahrenheit and usually sit somewhere between there and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. During the winter, the temperature in some places can drop to 32 degrees Fahrenheit.
Summers, which last from mid-May to mid-October, have about 11.5 hours of bright sunshine per day.
What are the major hubs?
The main hub is Larnaca International Airport, located southwest of the city of Larnaca. Another hub is Paphos International Airport, the second largest airport in the country located in Paphos.
There are no direct flights to Cyrpus from North America, but there are many direct from some major European hubs including London, Frankfurt, Munich, Vienna, Athens, Zurich, etc. There are also direct flights from Tel Aviv and Amman, both an hour’s flight from Cyprus.
The departure hall of Paphos international airport. Photo: Shutterstock.com
How big is tourism in Cyprus?
Tourism accounts for about 20% of Cyprus’s GDP, either directly through the purchase of vacation shares or indirectly through what visitors do and spend on the island. The island will have 3.2 million arrivals in 2022, excluding cruise line arrivals, with an average stay of 10 nights.
The largest share of arrivals comes from the UK (about a third of all arrivals) followed by visitors from the European Union (10 to 15 different specific countries each account for about 5% of arrivals). Some are from the Middle East, including emerging markets such as Saudi Arabia, Israel, Jordan, and Egypt.
North America does not account for a large share of that tourism- Perdios told TMR that only about 60,000 total visitors will come from North America in 2022. However, the hope is that that will now change with the change -or attention to the traveler in North America.
“We haven’t done much promotion in North America yet because we want to make sure we have product available to satisfy the North American traveler,” he said. “We now feel confident and comfortable that we have a product that they want.”
What changes?
Cyprus has a long history of tourism, especially as a sun-and-sand destination that caters to European travelers. However, there is also a current push to change the island’s travel identity, Perdios told TMR.
“We no longer want to talk about Cyprus as an island only for sun and beaches, but also one now for culture and authentic experiences all year round,” he said. “We want the secondary and tertiary destinations within Cyprus, those offshore, to be able to sustain themselves.”
One of the initiatives part of that push is called “Colorful Villages of Cyprus,” which will be launched in the first half of 2022. Colorful Village aims to show the identity of small villages around Cyprus and develop them as destinations for nature, agrotourism, cultural tourism, and others.
Six villages are part of that initiative—Kalopanagiotis, Steni, Vouni, Arsos, Kritou Terra, and Lania.
Agios Ioannis Lampadistis Monastery in Kalopanagiotis village. Photo: Shutterstock.com
VisitCyprus is also trying to showcase the island’s gastronomy offerings, which are “a unique blend of Greek and Middle Eastern cultures,” it says. That includes promoting the Quality Label for Cypriot Gastronomy, a public-private partnership to promote, among other things, restaurants that represent Cypriot cuisine.
Another initiative that VisitCyprus hopes will bring travelers beyond the beaches and cities is the promotion of the island’s wine routes. The country prides itself as the home of the world’s oldest wine still in production—Commandaria, which Richard the Lionheart proclaimed as “the wine of kings and the king of wines.”
VisitCyprus is promoting seven different wine routes as part of the initiative.
It’s all about showing what Cyprus is – and isn’t – to potential vacationers.
“We are not going to be Turkey or Saudi Arabia – we are a small island with reliability, not too many visits, with small accommodations. We are simply trying to be more refined,” Perdios told TMR.
What are the major hotels?
Cyprus has a large portfolio of luxury and mid-market hotels, including the Four Seasons Hotel in Limassol, Elysium in Paphos, and the Anassa Hotel in Latchi. Perdios told TMR that the destination hotel scene has really grown over the past decade or so.
“A lot of interesting things are happening,” he said. “There are a lot of upgrades and new four- and five-star accommodation opening around the island. We also see a lot of boutique properties opening, as well, in the city centers or on the beach .
New legislation passed in the last few months also adds to the evolution. Perdios said the legislation will help add some unique accommodations, including forest lodges, glamping areas, hostels, and rooms at wineries and farms to the market. The goal is to attract a new type of niche visitor who is younger, someone Peridios says is the island’s next ideal traveler.
What do travel advisors need to know?
“The best thing to do to find out directly about Cyprus is to contact the Ministry of Tourism,” said Periodios. “We are very happy to arrange webinars, trainings, and FAM trips to Cyprus. The easiest thing is to contact the Ministry directly.”
The good thing for advisors who sell in Cyprus is the high average stay – according to Peridios, the 10-day average stay allows you to work less hard to get a higher commission.
“The 10-night average stay I think is a big selling point for them,” he said.
Also, around 30% of all visitors to Cyprus are return travelers, which Peridios attributes is not an over-visited destination, and has an industry, and population, that allows for a level of personalization not found in many other places.
