Meet The Winners: The Deputy Ministry Of Tourism Of The Republic Of Cyprus

The Deputy Ministry of Tourism of the Republic of Cyprus spoke during Routes World 2024 about what it meant to be crowned the winner of the Destination Category at the esteemed Routes World 2024 Awards in Bahrain.

As an island in the Mediterranean Sea, Cyprus’s economy and inbound tourism rely heavily on air connectivity. Enhancing this connectivity helps the destination achieve its goals of attracting more tourism and business travelers.

In recent years, Cyprus has faced numerous challenges, including the pandemic and conflicts that impacted three major markets. Despite these external factors, the island has demonstrated resilience and perseverance, emerging as a thriving tourism destination.

Known for its stunning beaches, year-round sunshine, rich history, and vibrant culture, the team at Visit Cyprus actively promotes the country as a year-round destination through strategic advertising campaigns in key markets and efforts to encourage airlines to extend seasonal flights.

These concentrated efforts to increase tourism have resulted in a significant increase in seat capacity from January to August 2024, with markets such as the Nordic countries experiencing a 58% rise, Poland showing 20% growth, and the Netherlands increasing by 22%.

Tourist arrivals surged by over 20% in 2023, reaching 3.85 million compared to 3.2 million the previous year. Data for 2024 indicates further growth, with the tourism authority predicting a recovery beyond the previous record set in 2019. Hermes Airports, which operates Larnaka International Airport and Pafos International Airport, also saw an upward trend, achieving a new milestone of 11.6 million passengers—up 3% from 2019.

The Deputy Ministry of Tourism of the Republic of Cyprus has implemented tailored marketing campaigns, committed to supporting local communities, and worked to reduce seasonality spikes. These initiatives encompass collaboration with tour operators, airlines, and other key stakeholders.

Cyprus's efforts to create a compelling product for new and returning visitors contributed to its victory in the Destination Category at the Routes Awards in Bahrain. Sophia Charalambous, market development officer at the Deputy Ministry of Tourism, expressed her pride in the recognition: “I’m so proud and excited for this award. Finally, our hard work has been recognized and it means a lot to win this award. It means our marketing campaigns and the strategy we follow is important and recognized by our partners.”

Charalambous added: “Routes World is one of the most important events to participate in. It’s important to meet with your partners, exchange information and insights on plans for the upcoming period, and negotiate to improve your own product.”