Insider / ΚΥΠΕ
The air connection must be improved not only in terms of geographical coverage of flights, increasing the frequency of flights from specific airports but also increasing flights during the winter months, said the President of the Paphos Hoteliers Association Thanos Michailidis.
In his statements to KYPE, Mr. Michailidis stated that the increase of flights in winter will create dynamics to increase flights in summer as well.
Analyzing the ways in which we attract tourists, he added, “we must also consider the support measures we provide to airlines and tour operators.”
He also pointed out that the competitive destinations of Cyprus are very generous to the tour operators and this gives our competitors a lead. When we plan to develop large markets in Europe, it is necessary, he continued, to create programs to support tour operators and airlines.
He added that most major tour operators also have airlines involved in their activities, so he stressed that the support programs for airlines and tour operators may be the same.
He also said that the support for the connectivity system of Cyprus should be strengthened with a very dynamic marketing strategy to develop the recognition of Cyprus as a quality tourist destination and to attract the modern tourist of a relatively high income class.
Mr. Michailidis stated that it is understandable that Cyprus is unable to compete with arms at low cost, noting that the only parameters we can develop are quality and authenticity.
He then referred to the problem of labor shortage which is, as he said, extremely important and urgent to solve this problem.
If the pandemic is under control, the tourist flow for 2022 will be quite high compared to 2020 and 2021 and relatively close to the numbers of 2019, he stressed, adding, however, that in order for the hotel industry to respond to the increased occupancy, it needs labor. potential.
He said, “the state must plan early and provide solutions so that the industry can be on time and for sure by March 2022” to be planned.
“If we do not respond in time as a tourist destination, we will not be able to provide the right services and we will lose what we have built in recent years,” he added.
