Mr. Koumis reminded that Israel is the second largest market of Cyprus
He noted that we are nearing the end of the tourist season and therefore “the impact on tourism in our country is decreasing”.
Cancellations are recorded due to the war in Israel, – when asked about it – Deputy Minister of Tourism Kostas Koumis said on Wednesday afternoon, noting that there are not many “but they do exist”.
In his statements on the sidelines of the opening of the Antasia Beach Club in Paphos, Mr. Koumis reminded that Israel is the second largest market in Cyprus, while he noted that we are towards the end of the tourist season and therefore “the effects are decreasing for the tourism of our country”. “But we are recording losses, it is clear that there may not be too many cancellations, but cancellations are being recorded,” he added.
Mr Koumis wished the war to end as soon as possible , as human lives are lost “which is the worst” but also because every country must return to its daily life.
Asked about the other markets being promoted by the Deputy Ministry, Mr. Koumis said that the work is “unstoppable”, adding that he has just returned from France and the Middle East, while in two weeks he will go to Great Britain.
“The work is non-stop towards too many markets. Our responsibility is to fill any gaps that are created, as this year we had to fill the void of the Russian market,” he added.
Cyprus currently hosts tourists from many countries, he said, noting that it is not easy to open a new market “as we are a mature destination”. We are targeting the central Asian region and will see what other opportunities may arise in the coming weeks or months, he said.
On the occasion of the opening of the Antasia Beach Club cafe restaurant by the Municipality of Paphos and the Thanos Hotels and Resorts group, at Vrysoudia beach (SODAP beach), the Deputy Minister of Tourism said that it is extremely important to have the right infrastructure to facilitate foreign visitors and Cypriot citizens.
The cafeteria of the Municipality of Paphos is an “excellent project which without a doubt enriches the tourist resort of Paphos and especially the coastline of the city of Paphos” he said and congratulated the Local Authority which has proceeded with this development.
In his speech at the opening, the Deputy Minister of Tourism also mentioned that visitors are now very demanding, expecting from the tourist destination they visit, modern and functional facilities, quality services and high levels of service. “I have no doubt that the investment we are launching today meets these requirements,” he said.
For his part, the Mayor of Paphos Phaidonas Phaidonos stated that tourism needs infrastructure and that in order to have a rich and touristic product you need to constantly upgrade your infrastructure.
“This project that we inaugurated today I believe is one of the projects that enrich the tourism product of the city of Paphos, it has been embraced by tourists as well as by the locals and it is with these kinds of projects of high aesthetic quality that we offer satisfaction to foreign visitors”. At the same time, he continued, through healthy competition we also set an example for private individuals to follow or be one step ahead of the local authorities or even the state.
Mr. Phaidonos estimated that “hand in hand” local authorities, the Government and entrepreneurs can enter into a logic of daily continuous quality upgrading.
In his greeting, the Mayor of Paphos also mentioned that the cafe-restaurant is located in one of the most special parts of the Paphos waterfront, with an unobstructed view of the Medieval Castle and the picturesque port of the city, and is a new landmark for the city, standing out for its pioneering innovative design.
“At the same time it offers added value to the tourism product of Paphos and Cyprus in general” he added.
The CEO of Thanos Hotels and Resorts Group, Thanos Michaelidis, said that “we are proud to contribute to the development of our city, investing in quality, local tradition and culture, but also in gastronomy”. At the same time, he said, we are creating more jobs by developing a value chain for the local community, through partnerships with Cypriot suppliers and local businesses.
In the context of the opening, a comprehensive presentation of the project was held by architect Konstantinos Psomas of the Architectural Office Psomas Studio of Architecture. The
