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APRIL 2014
ISSUE 14
Deloitte to be Casino Advisor In a bid to create a facility comparable to the best of its kind in Europe and the world, the government has selected Deloitte as the project’s advisor.
Since the 1960s when tourism began to emerge as Cyprus’ strong card, the sector has been growing, reaching its peak in 2001 when the island received 2.7 million travellers.
05 Outbound Travel on the Rise Outbound travel remains on an upward trajectory according to figures released by the latest passenger survey of the government’s statistical service.
09 IN THIS ISSUE MARKET UPDATE NICOSIA NEWS GENERAL NEWS TOURISM BOARDS SPECIAL REPORT AIR NEWS & EVENTS INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL CHANNELS ACCOMMODATION TRAVEL TALK RENDEZVOUS
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Containing the Effects of Thunder
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MARKET UPDATE
TRAVEL TRADE PUBLICATIONS MANAGING EDITOR Mary Kammitsi mary@traveltradeweekly.travel COPY EDITOR Emily Millett SENIOR JOURNALIST Rita Kasziba JOURNALIST Maria Kazeli PRESS Andreas Mantis Maria Demetriadou Pauline Shahabian DESIGN & LAYOUT Elena Stylianou DIRECTORS Andreas Constantinides Mary Kammitsi HEADQUARTERS T.T.W. Travel Trade Weekly LTD P.O. Box 25255, Nicosia 1308 Cyprus Tel: +357 22 021607, Fax: +357 22 103607
Louis Does Well in 2013 In spite of the negative economic climate that prevailed in Cyprus in 2013, the financial results for Louis show a significant improvement compared to 2012.
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he group’s operating profit before taxes, interest, depreciations and hotel rents (EBITDAR) rose to EUR50.8 million in the year under review. This amount marks an amelioration of EUR14.1 million or 38.6 percent versus EUR36.7 million recorded in 2012. The company attributes this increase in intake to the rise in total turnover along with the simultaneous reduction of operating costs. Operating profit before net financing costs recorded a boost of EUR16.5 million in 2013, and Louis Cruises witnessed the greatest improvement among the group’s subsidiaries which also include Louis Hotels and Louis Travel.
Net results for 2013 were loss-making, however they significantly improved as loss attributable to shareholders showed an overall reduction of EUR11.2 million compared to 2012.
Reflections Lounge Bar - Louis Aura
WEBSITE www.traveltradecyprus.travel EMAILS info@traveltradeweekly.travel sales@traveltradeweekly.travel editorial@traveltradecyprus.travel
CSFA Drops the Curtain
PRINTED IN CYPRUS Cyprint Plc P.O. Box 58300, CY-3732, Limassol, Cyprus Tel: +357 25 720035, Fax: +357 25 720123 Email: info@cyprint.com.cy
The cabinet has approved the bid for a grant of financial aid amounting to EUR200,000 to the Cyprus State Fairs Authority (CSFA) in order to help the body pay off its immediate costs before it eventually closes down. Having proved unable to meet its obligations, the definite decision to shut down the authority is now a reality, and the cabinet have
EXCHANGE RATES
authorised the Ministry of Energy, Commerce, Industry and Tourism to go ahead with a detailed recording of CSFA’s liabilities and assets in order to proceed with the immediate closure of the governmental body. Any of the current employees at CSFA who wish to do so, are to be transferred to other governmental posts.
Accurate as of
26/03/2014 CURRENCY
COUNTRY
1EUR=
US (USD)
1.38
UK (GBP)
0.84
Switzerland (CHF)
1.22
Japan (JPY)
141.25
PICTURE OF THE MONTH
Lufthansa Group: Record Sales
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ufthansa Group set a new record for sales in passenger traffic in 2013, with travel in the passenger business, which is measured in revenue passenger-kilometres, reaching more than 209 billion, representing a 2.3 percent year-on-year increase. The positive trend was backed by the utilisation of larger aircraft and better overall load factor which rose one percentage point to 79.8 percent. All in all, in 2013, Lufthansa, Germanwings, Swiss and Austrian Airlines carried a total of 104 million passengers, marking a one percent rise, and despite a 3.7 percent reduction in the number of flights, overall capacity improved by one percent. Capacity utilisation also paid off in the group’s freight business, with the aircraft at Lufthansa Cargo reporting a consignment load factor of 69.9 percent. Despite sluggish demand on global freight markets, during the year under review, the company transported 1.7 million tonnes of goods and mail. APRIL 2014
Nicosia
Part of The Greek Collection: Le Pain Bénit by Theodoros Rallis (1852-1909)
New Art Gallery in Nicosia
MONTHLY NEWS
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Encouraging Signs for a Tram in Nicosia Tasos Mitsopoulos, former minister of communications and works, Cyprus, chaired a meeting which examined the issue of creating a tram service in Nicosia. Constantinos Yiorkadjis, mayor, Nicosia, as well as other officials were present at the decision making event. Speaking to the media after the gathering, Mitsopoulos said that it had been useful to meet with technical consultants who are responsible for the preparation of a techno-economic feasibility study for the Nicosia Tram initiative. According to Mitsopoulos, this very early data which was presented by the project’s consulting team is quite encouraging and validates the decision to proceed with the implementation of the ambitious development. “The tram is a system that enhances and complements the existing system of public transport, [...] something proven by international and European experience. We are still in the early stages and we await the completion of the feasibility study to see how to proceed from there,” Mitsopoulos added. Yiorkadjis commented that one of the city’s European targets is to become more sustainable and a reliable and an efficient public transport system will greatly contribute to that.
Nicosia has welcomed the arrival of a new cultural project, as A. G. Leventis Gallery opened its doors to the public in March. The EUR20 million development is set to house A. G. Leventis Foundation’s collection of Greek, Western European and Cypriot art, which is going on public display in its entirety for the first time Anastasios Leventis, chairman, A. G. Leventis Foundation, said, “The new A. G. Leventis Gallery marks a key moment in the history of the A. G. Leventis Foundation. Not only will it be an opportunity to celebrate the breadth of our collection, but it will also create a tangible relationship between those works and our curated exhibition programme, which will be shown at the gallery.” The collection includes works from the 17th to the 20th century, and boasts paintings by major artists such as Murillo, Canaletto, Corot, Signac and Renoir.
Christmas Avenue Proved Successful Results now in from Nicosia Municipality’s Christmas Avenue initiative launched during the winter holiday season, show the projects success, with numbers exceeding expectations. According to statistics, some 238,992 people visited the festivethemed area between December 6, 2013 and January 6. The same data revealed that average daily traffic amounted to some 7,469 visitors. The most popular days in terms of footfall were Saturdays and Sundays in December, with December 22, 2013 coming out on top, registering a record 23,903 visits. The initiative was launched in a bid to revitalise the capital’s main retail street and offered shopping, games and activities.
APRIL 2014
Tram
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MONTHLY NEWS
Theme Park Project Approved
The state’s recently unveiled planning policy includes the licence for the creation of a large 500,000m² theme park to be developed in the countryside. The multi-themed and leisure facility would be a consolidated development and would include a wide range of entertainment options. It will operate under a single management and will have uniform structure and organisation. The granting authority also gave the project’s owner the option to develop the facility into a fully equipped touristic village, which could combine high-class tourist accommodations like three-, four- or five-star hotels, as well as a variety of commercial and recreational facilities.
Pafos 2017 Collaborates with Antiquities Department Nicosia played host to a meeting with senior representatives of the department of antiquities, the municipality of Paphos and the European Capital of Culture – Pafos 2017 committee, in order to review and further plan cultural projects relating to Paphos’ archaeological sites and historical monuments. After discussing and exchanging views on how some of these planned initiatives can be implemented in the future, specifically all parties agreed on the goal of unifying Kato Paphos’ locations of archaeological interest and have set a general framework on which to seek academic advice. The team also discussed recommendations for the upgrade of the destination’s archaeological museum, as well as regeneration plans of the historical city centre, through which it is intended to raise the profile of various historical and religious monuments of the region by creating specific routes that interested parties can easily follow.
Joint Actions to Upgrade Polis A meeting was held recently in Polis Chrysochous in a bid to examine specific ways for the further development and promotion of the area. Following the event, a working group has been set up for this purpose consisting of the town’s municipality, Pafos Regional Board of Tourism, and various local hoteliers. The team discussed and exchanged views on effective cooperation and decided that the community needs to be landscaped particularly in tourist areas, green spaces must be upgraded and cleaning campaigns are to be performed at regular intervals. The group also decided to find ways to ban the arbitrary placement of caravans and tents in non-designated areas as well as strengthen efforts to upgrade lifeguard services. Lastly it was determined that access to Pafos International Airport from the coastal town should be enhanced in order to facilitate tourists and locals alike. Polis Chrysochous APRIL 2014
MONTHLY NEWS
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Deloitte to be Casino Project Advisor Following the decision of the cabinet in July 2013 for the licensing and operation of a multi-themed casino resort, the Ministry of Energy, Commerce, Industry and Tourism has set a target to create a facility comparable to the best of its kind in Europe and the world. In a bid to achieve this goal the governmental body has selected and recruited a team of consultants from Deloitte with extensive experience in casino and hospitality issues.
Cypriot-Swiss Cultural Cooperation
Spiez, Switzerland
A new agreement has been signed between Cyprus and Switzerland on the importing and repatriation of cultural property between the two countries. The initial deal, inked in January 2013, prohibits the importing of antiquities to the two states in cases where the regulations of the country of origin where not satisfied. At the same time, it outlines the framework of cooperation on the repatriation of illegally exported cultural objects, and promotes scientific cooperation and archeological exchanges between Switzerland and the island. The signing of this agreement, in conjunction with other memoranda of understanding previously signed between Cyprus and other countries referring to the same subject, constitutes an important step towards the protection of the island’s cultural heritage and supports the prevention of illicit trafficking of cultural treasures.
APRIL 2014
Given the importance and complexity of the venture and the very strict deadlines set to realise the objective, the cabinet also decided to set up a ministerial and a coordinating committee in order to determine the project’s managing body. Upon signing contracts, the consulting team will be invited to present their offer as well as the schedules they plan to follow for the immediate commencement of the development.
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MONTHLY NEWS
Tourism Boards
Moscow, Russia
CTO: Meetings in Russia
Costas Kadis, former chairman, Cyprus Tourism Organisation (CTO), and Marios Hannides, director general, CTO, attended meetings in Moscow in a move aimed at strengthening the relations with Russia to further increase tourist numbers to Cyprus. Commenting on the gatherings, Hannides remarked, “The contacts we have made with very important and influential tour operators in this huge market, are very encouraging and I am confident that [this year] will show the first positive samples to extend the tourist season, which of course means more income, more growth and increased employment opportunities for the people of Cyprus.”
Great Success for Paphos’ Tourist Website The official tourism site of Paphos, www. visitpafos.org.cy, has continued its upward trend registering a sharp increase in visits. According to statistics provided by Google analytics for the period between January 1, 2013 and December 31, 2013, the online page was viewed by more than 160,000 people, 80 percent of whom were new visitors. The average user browsed 3.7 pages and spent 2.3 minutes on the site. The same data revealed that the main countries of origin of guests searching the site were the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Sweden, Belgium, Poland, Lebanon, US and Cyprus, while the accommodation, beaches, archaeological monuments, nature, golf and events categories were ranked in the top positions regarding popularity. The website is currently available in four languages – Greek, English, Russian and German – with French expected to be introduced soon.
Limassol is Developing Rapidly Limassol Tourism Board held its annual general meeting which hosted various officials, such as parliament members, mayors, Cyprus Tourism Organisation (CTO) representatives, and members of the Limassol Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Speeches were delivered by Yiorgos Lakkotrypis, minister of commerce, industry and tourism, Cyprus, as well as Costas Kadis, former chairman, CTO, and Tony Antoniou, chairman, Limassol Tourism Board. Lakkotrypis lauded the board’s efforts and underlined that Limassol is evolving into an extremely attractive tourist destination welcoming over 250,000 tourists in 2013, a number that can be increased significantly with the correct actions. On his behalf, Antoniou referred to the tourist infrastructure projects promoted by the board, which include the Limassol Conference Centre, the new passenger hall at Limassol Port and the redevelopment of the old port, the inclusion of Limassol in the artificial reefs project, and the private initiative for the creation of a car museum. Guaranteeing the support of the CTO in the further development of the city, Kadis stressed the organisation’s commitment to encouraging increasing tourism in Limassol. Limassol APRIL 2014
Tourism Boards
MONTHLY NEWS
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Actions to Develop Troodos In a recent meeting the cabinet approved the immediate launch of action required for the compilation of a development plan for the wider Troodos region. The initiative aims to prioritise the embellishment of Troodos square, the exploitation of governmental housing, Amiantos mine, and state property in the area, in collaboration with the private sector.
Limassol: New Promotional Film
Limassol’s Promotional Film
Limassol Tourism Board has released a new nineminute promotional film which presents the city as a modern tourist destination. The audiovisual material was prepared by the board in collaboration with Filmworks and Cyprus Tourism Organisation. Upon release, the movie, which was posted across various online channels, was watched by 3,000 people in less than 24 hours. The board has made a CD available with high resolution material which can be used as a promotional tool by tourism industry professionals. The film promotes sun and sea tourism, as well as special interests tourism, and portrays Limassol as a cosmopolitan year-round tourist destination.
APRIL 2014
For the purpose of implementing the model of development standards, an inter-ministerial committee has been established under the chairmanship of Nicos Kouyialis, minister of agriculture, natural resources and environment, Cyprus, which also includes the ministries of finance, interior and communications and works.
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MONTHLY NEWS
Tourism Boards
Vavla Rustic Retreat, Limassol
Agrotourism is a Vision Coming True
According to Fryni Michael, former director general, Cyprus Tourism Organisation (CTO), and the first ever chairperson of the Cyprus Agrotourism Company, the development of rural tourism in the island is finally materialising. At the company’s annual meeting, Marios Hannides, director general, CTO, remarked that agrotourism is an alternative form of tourism, and an asset for Cyprus. He added that Cyprus has managed to climb into the top five European countries offering rural tourism. Annita Demetriadou, director of tourism, strategy and research department, CTO, commented that the Cyprus Agrotourism Company offers locals and tourists the opportunity to avail of the beauty of the Cypriot countryside.
Developing the Tourism Product in Paphos Paphos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) held a meeting with Socrates Hasikos, minister of interior, Cyprus, to discuss various issues. Yiorgos Leptos, chairman, PCCI, requested the immediate adoption of further incentives to attract foreign investment; the acceleration of licensing procedures for major development projects in the private sector; the adjustment of the policy for joint touristic development; the launch of the reconstruction and landscaping of Paphos’ commercial centre; and the promotion of major road infrastructure projects such as the Paphos – Polis Chrysochous highway. Commenting on the ministry’s contribution towards the region’s growth, Hasikos expressed determination to support the important sectors of land development and tourism.
Promotion of Paphos in Denmark In a bid to further boost visibility and promote Paphos abroad, Pafos Regional Board of Tourism participated at the Danish Travel Show in Herning, Denmark, which took place between February 21 - 23 and is hailed as Scandinavia’s largest consumer holiday fair. In the past years, the exhibition welcomed more than 63,000 visitors and 1,000 exhibitors, and attracted a large audience interested in focused tourism niches such as golf travel, adventure trips and special interests. Cyprus receives around 30,000 visitors each year from Denmark, and Paphos’ share from this feeder market amounts to 20 percent. The Scandinavian country enjoys direct connections to the coastal city during the summer time with nonstop flights from Aarhus. For these reasons, the Danish market is deemed particularly lucrative because it shows good prospects with regards to the extension of the tourist season in the coming years between March and November.
Socrates Hasikos (centre)
APRIL 2014
MONTHLY NEWS
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Outbound Travel on the Rise Outbound travel remains on an upward trajectory according to figures released by the latest passenger survey of the government’s statistical service. Based on the report, in January, 72,892 residents of Cyprus returned from a trip abroad compared to 61,933 in the corresponding month in 2013, marking a robust increase of 17.7 percent. The positive trend was driven by a 9.8 percent rise in visits to Greece with the number of travellers to the neighbouring country rising from 20,019 in 2013 to 21,982. It is also worth noting that outbound trips to Russia jumped 76 percent to 3,157. On the other hand, visits to Egypt, the UK and Lebanon showed significant declines. A large 48 percent of the passengers represented the 25 – 44 age group, and 67 percent of the total travelled for leisure purposes, while 26 percent left the island for business reasons.
Cyprus Explores its Medical Tourism Potential Cyprus could have the ability to evolve into a competitive medical destination for health travellers, Marios Hannides, director general, Cyprus Tourism Organisation (CTO), told the audience during his speech at a seminar organised by the European Parliament office in Cyprus and the Ministry of Health. Attendees at the ‘Cross-border Healthcare: Challenges and Opportunities for Cyprus’ event, were also informed of CTO’s promotional actions concerning this emerging market. These include the launch of a specialised website; the release of a new promotional leaflet; collaboration with a network of leading UK healthcare sites; participation in an international medical tourism exhibition; and organising familiarisation trips for French and Russian professionals. “Development of medical tourism means more tourists with high income in Cyprus, meaning more revenue with huge benefits in many sectors of the economy,” concluded Hannides.
APRIL 2014
Athens
Leptos Group Welcomes Ukrainian Journalists A large team of major Ukrainian journalists from political, economic and tourist publications around the country arrived in Cyprus for a seven-day stay on the island following an official invitation by Cyprus Tourism Organisation. During their stay they had the opportunity to visit various locations on the island and were treated to guided tours to museums and archaeological sites and monasteries. The programme also included visits to wineries, as well as nightlife in town. Leptos Group invited the media team to visit the company’s hotels in Paphos, specifically Coral Beach Hotel & Resort and Coral Thalassa Boutique Hotel & Spa, where they had the opportunity to meet with the group managers, to be shown through the various areas and to experience the service, amenities and facilities provided to guests. The event comes in line with efforts by CTO to attract more Ukrainian tourists, as well as buyers and investors for properties, in a difficult time for these sectors.
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MONTHLY NEWS
Ayia Napa to Welcome Golf Course Following 15 years of efforts and costly plans, Famagusta region will finally obtain its own golf course. A consortium of hoteliers to which the government had leased land in 2007 in order to construct a golf facility, recently reached an agreement with a private company to launch the project. L.K. MAZERI was awarded the contract to build the course, which is estimated to cost around EUR12 million, in the picturesque Cape Greko area. According to an agreement reached by L.K. MAZERI and Ayia Napa Forest Golf, the construction of the 18-hole internationalstandard golf course will start immediately and is set to be completed within three years, while the facility will also feature a secondary nine-hole course. Yiannis Karousos, chairman, Ayia Napa Forest Golf, expressed his satisfaction with the agreement since the project is expected to boost the winter tourism season in the region, which is currently doing very well in the summer but is suffering from the problem of seasonality.
Fasouri Watermania Waterpark Ready for New Season Management at Limassol-based Fasouri Watermania Waterpark facility plan to invest in upgrading inhouse facilities in order to maintain the best level of service for customers, and add value to their experience. This was revealed by Nayia Raptakis, marketing and sales manager, Heaven’s Garden, owner and operator of the venue, who also said, “Our company has excellent relations and agreements with all holiday makers selling Cyprus and the island’s excursions. Our water park is featured in all major tour operator brochures and promoted in all excursion booklets received by guests when arriving on the island.” Between May – October 2013, Fasouri Watermania Waterpark welcomed up to 140,000 guests, achieving a rise of six percent compared to the same period in 2012. “The main increase came from Russia and Ukraine following the ease of visa procedures, with the UK and Germany following, [alongside] other European countries,” revealed Raptakis.
Louis Cruises Joins CLIA Europe Louis Cruises was invited to participate in the executive committee of Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) Europe. The organisation, which represents the leading cruise companies operating in Europe, currently has 43 members and 36 executive partners. CLIA’s main objective is to promote the interests of cruise operators within Europe by liaising closely with European Union institutions as well as the European Maritime Safety Agency. The association’s executive committee is responsible for the implementation of all the activities of CLIA Europe and the national associations in each of the countries in the region. Expressing delight at joining CLIA, Kyriakos Anastassiadis, CEO, Louis Cruises, said, “It is a great honour and pleasure to be able to work even more closely with our colleagues in Europe. We certainly look forward to contributing our utmost towards the fulfilment of the noble goals and aims set by CLIA Europe.” Kyriakos Anastassiadis
APRIL 2014
CHA’s 36th Annual Conference
SPECIAL REPORT
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Containing the Effects of Thunder Since the 1960s when tourism began to emerge as Cyprus’ strong card, the sector has been growing, reaching its peak in 2001 when the Mediterranean island received 2.7 million travellers. Now the industry is once again expected to save the day, and get the engines going in fast mode. Urlich Sperl, product and yield director, UK and Ireland, Thomas Cook Group, gave a presentation entitled ‘Flirting with the Giants’. However when called upon to discuss the connection that needs to be developed between destinations and major tour operators he argued that flirting is not a good idea, but instead, serious cooperation, partnering and commitment are the key actions that can lead to a successful and fruitful relationship. Sperl suggested that a number of Internet-related trends have led to significant changes in the leisure travel market and that ‘giants’ are able to address these successfully as they own the proper infrastructure and expertise.
CHA’s 36th Annual Conference
Maria Kazeli writes
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n a relatively difficult year that saw Cyprus suffer a huge blow with the Eurogroup decisions in March 2013, tourist arrivals reached 2.4 million, and tourism related income climbed to EUR2.1 billion, registering a growth of nine percent compared to 2013, making the industry an invaluable resource that should be safeguarded. This was suggested by Yiorgos Lakkotrypis, minister of energy, commerce, industry and tourism, Cyprus, at the 36th Annual Conference of the Cyprus Hotel Association (CHA), which was held recently at Hilton Park Nicosia, and was attended by more than 200 hotel owners, general managers and executives, representatives of the Cyprus Tourism Organisation and other professional bodies from the wider economic and commercial sectors of the country. At the event, which posed the question whether the local hotel industry can provide the power for economic recovery once again, speakers discussed the rapid changes in the tourism world, the new opportunities provided for the Cypriot tourism industry and the increasingly fierce competition that the island now faces especially following the global economic crisis.
APRIL 2014
The vision of 3.5 million visitors within the next five years is feasible as long as the industry decision-makers start setting concrete targets Multinational companies, like Thomas Cook Group, provide a stable and strong basis, have extensive flight capacities, a huge marketing network and sophisticated sales technology, he concluded. Tez Tour was also present at the event in a bid to
showcase the company’s profile as well as the potential of the Russian segment for Cyprus. The tour operator was founded in 1994 and has a leading role in outbound tourism from countries of the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe since it operates 73 offices in 24 countries. This year marked Tez Tour’s entry intro the Cypriot market, a move which is aimed at realising the destination’s full potential since the island is classified among the top 10 in terms of Russian outbound traffic, according to Alexander Sinigibskiy, director of tourism, Tez Tour. CHA also invited George Micallef, vice president, Malta Hotels & Restaurants Association, to analyse Malta’s case. Micallef advocated that Cyprus’ tourism industry can greatly benefit if seasonality is faced effectively through structured cooperation with stakeholders, improving connectivity and seat capacity, product enhancement, quality improvement, developing domestic tourism, and an integrated marketing approach. Concluding the proceedings, Haris Loizides, chairman, CHA, remarked that the prospects and planning for this year create hope and optimism for positive results and the vision of 3.5 million visitors within the next five years is feasible as long as the industry decision-makers start setting concrete targets for each priority market.
Lakkotrypis (right) Launches Exhibition of Products and Services
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MONTHLY NEWS
Cyprus among the Most Romantic Destinations Cyprus has been ranked among the 10 most romantic holiday destinations in a study by Thomas Cook. To find the most love-inducing locations, 1,500 people were surveyed in the UK, Germany, Belgium, Sweden and the Netherlands, with 93 percent of them stating that travelling as a couple remains an important element in their relationship, and 87 percent admitting that going on holiday together can kindle romance. Some 61 percent of respondents agreed that beach holidays offer the most romantic experience followed by cities, while only nine and three percent respectively would opt for cruising and skiing. According to results, the Maldives has been voted as the most romantic holiday destination, followed by the Caribbean and Greece, and the top 10 was completed by the Seychelles, Rome, Venice, Paris, New York, Mexico and Cyprus.
Arrivals from Russia Soar Visitor numbers from Russia to Cyprus continue to increase at a steady pace, with January having witnessed a 23 percent year-on-year improvement as arrivals jumped from 3,930 in January 2012 to 4,838. Total traffic for the month under review showed a slight decrease of 3.8 percent as figures fell from 42,286 to 40,675. A decrease of 14.6 percent was recorded from the UK, while Greece demonstrated a 20 percent setback. Europe accounted for the bulk of arrivals with 34,555 tourists. In terms of regions, Asia came second with 4,018 visitors, the majority, 1,653 of whom travelled from Lebanon, while 1,027 arrived from the Gulf states. America, Africa and Oceania accounted for 1,017, 701 and 382 visitors respectively.
Rural Tourism Can Go Big Cyprus Agrotourism Company’s members have reached 76, representing 88 lodges across the country. The company’s 2013 promotional programme included a targeted marketing plan, hosting familiarisation trips for journalists, and participation in the Green Key training programme. Annita Demetriadou, director of tourism, strategy and research department, Cyprus Tourism Organisation (CTO), commented, “There is need for additional infrastructure in villages so that the tourism product will offer a multi-dimensional experience. The support of European programmes should be continued and strengthened so that people who transform their homes into rural lodges, feel that they are a vital part of Cyprus tourism.”
APRIL 2014
Air
MONTHLY NEWS
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Ukraine-Cyprus Traffic Gets a Major Boost Kiev, Ukraine
Visitor numbers from Ukraine are expected to increase following the Ministry of Communications and Works and the Ukrainian authority’s open skies agreement. Under the terms of the deal, any number of designated airlines from both parties will have the right to operate an unlimited number of scheduled services between the two countries. The Ukrainian side has designated a total of four airlines to run scheduled flights, including Ukraine International, UTAIR-Ukraine, Air Onix as well as Wizz Air Ukraine. Travellers will benefit from routes between Larnaca and the Ukrainian cities of Kiev, Donetsk and Odessa.
Czech Airlines to Fly to Cyprus Czech Airlines is to significantly increase its presence in the Mediterranean region during the summer season with the launch of 25 new routes. The popular vacation hotspots to be added to the airlines portfolio include Larnaca, as well as Heraclion, Chania in Crete, Corfu, Kos, Rhodes, Thessaloniki and Zakynthos in Greece. The European carrier’s cooperation with Travel Services on a codeshare basis will continue during the upcoming holiday months. The connections will be operated by Travel Service under its SmartWings brand while Czech Airlines will use its OK codes for these flights. As Jozef Sinčák, executive director of sales and marketing, Czech Airlines, explained, the main goal of the summer timetable is to continue the stabilisation of the transport network and prepare a reliable product without the need for ad hoc changes and last minute cancellations. “The summer schedule will thus, year-on-year, appear a little moderate, built on more conservative estimates, in regards to this year’s demand and market development. The main value Czech Airlines wishes to offer to its passengers and business partners is a reliable and stable product,” added Sinčák.
Ryanair Boosts Paphos Flights Ryanair has increased its operations between Stansted Airport and Pafos International Airport from 10 weekly services to 12 weekly flights, offering passengers event greater choice for the upcoming summer season. “Ryanair is pleased to announce further growth at Stansted this summer, with extra flights on our Bologna, Dublin, Lanzarote, Marrakech, Paphos, Riga, Salzburg, Santiago and Tours routes, in addition to 13 new routes to Athens, Basel, Bordeaux, Brive, Bucharest, Comiso, Dortmund, Lisbon, Osijek, Podgorica, Prague, Rabat and Skelleftea and flights on 17 other routes,” commented Maria Macken, sales and marketing manager, Ryanair, noting that this will be the first summer when the airline’s passengers can enjoy a small second carry-on bag, quiet flights, allocated seats and use their personal electronic devices at all stages of their journey.
Ryanair
APRIL 2014
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MONTHLY NEWS
Events
Cyprus Walking Festival Underway The 1st Cyprus Walking Festival has been organised for the first time this year by the Cyprus Tourism Organisation and the Department of Forests and is taking place between March 1 and April 5. The event is offering a variety of walking tours in Akamas, Cape Greco, and Troodos National forest parks for every level of fitness. The island boasts numerous signposted paths or nature trails, some more challenging than others, but all are a feast for the senses, especially in the springtime when locals and tourists can experience the sights, sounds and smells of nature first hand.
1st Cyprus Walking Festival
Paphos Represented at Wedding Show In a joint effort by the Pafos Regional Board of Tourism, the region’s municipalities, hoteliers and wedding organisers, the coastal city was represented at The National Wedding Show, Birmingham, held between February 28 – March 2, aiming to position the destination even higher in the preferences of couples as one of the most popular places in the Mediterranean for wedding ceremonies and honeymoons. Deemed as the UK’s biggest wedding exhibition, The National Wedding Show is attended by over 15,000 visitors every year and features over 250 exhibitors to each of its editions, which are held at three cities across the country, namely London, Birmingham and Manchester.
EVENTS 1st Cyprus Walking Festival Cyprus, March 1 – April 5, 2014 (www.visitcyprus.com) A hiking event spanning for more than a month offering the opportunity to experience the Cypriot nature first hand and free of charge.
Cyprus Film Days Nicosia, Limassol, April 4 – 13, 2014 (www.cyprusfilmdays.com) Now in its 12th year, the festival will also host a separate international competition section entitled ‘Global Images’, in which filmmakers are invited to submit their fiction films. 2nd Dragon Boat Challenge Yermasoyia Dam, Limassol, April 6, 2014 Organised by the Cyprus Dragon Boat Association, the second edition of the competition is also open for international teams. Pafos Sprint Triathlon Paphos, April 13, 2014 (www.cyprusactivelife.com) Also open for international participants, the Pafos Sprint Triathlon will be held for the second time.
FSF MED Holds Seminar The Flight Safety Foundation – Mediterranean (FSF MED) in collaboration with the University of Nicosia, organised an open seminar for youth and students entitled ‘Professions and Growth Opportunities in the Aviation Sector’ in March. At the event, speakers, including distinguished professionals from the aviation field, explained in detail all of the potential employment parameters and opportunities both in Cyprus and abroad. Makis Constantinides, chairman, FSF MED, opened the seminar and gave the floor to various experts who went on to present the requirements for professions such as pilot, air traffic controller, airplane engineer, cabin crew and many more.
Klirou 12Km Mountain Run Klirou, Nicosia, April 27, 2014 Organised by the Dromea Racing Club, the competition will include a 12km mountain run and a 4km “fun” run.
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International
World Travel Awards to Visit Greece Divani Apollon Palace & Thalasso, Athens
On the occasion of the 14th Airline Marketing Workshop, organiser Athens International Airport (AIA), awarded the carriers that recorded the highest passenger development in 2013. Turkish Airlines was named the overall fastest growing company operating at the airport, Royal Jordanian Airlines achieved the highest percentage of annual passenger growth, Norwegian proved to be the most successful seasonal carrier, British Airways was awarded for the highest contribution in making London the top European destination while Emirates was honoured for helping Dubai become the top non-European city out of Athens. Aegean Airlines was named the fastest growing airline in Eastern Europe and the domestic sector, and received an accolade for the highest passenger volume increase at AIA. The Greek carrier was also awarded as the favourite among European passengers while Emirates was the top-choice for non-European travellers. Other topics discussed at the event included the market overview for 2013 and optimistic forecasts for traffic development in the current year.
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AIA Steps up Environmental Protection Efforts
The organisers of the World Travel Awards (WTA) have unveiled plans to host the annual Europe Gala Ceremony in Greece for the first time, at Divani Apollon Palace & Thalasso, Athens, on August 2. The ceremony is being organised in partnership with the country’s Ministry of Tourism, the Greek National Tourism Organisation, the Association of Greek Tourism Enterprises and Divani Collection Hotels, and will include a gala dinner, top entertainment and the presentation of industry awards. Guests will also have the opportunity to visit some of Greece’s important historical and cultural sites.
Airline Marketing Workshop Holds Best Performers Awards
MONTHLY NEWS
Having already been accredited on the mapping and reduction levels in 2009 and 2011 respectively, Athens International Airport (AIA) recently took a significant step towards addressing the challenge of climate change. Within the framework of Airport Carbon Accreditation, AIA was upgraded to the third optimisation level, which has also recently been reached by some of the continent’s busiest airports, including London Heathrow Airport and Paris Charles De Gaulle Airport. AIA earned the third level by expanding its carbon footprint calculations to include indirect sources, and engaging other stakeholders on the airport site to minimise CO2 emissions. Thanks to this approach, between 2005 and 2012, AIA achieved an 18 percent reduction in carbon emissions from its activities, translating into 12,000 tonnes of CO2. In recognition of its environmental programmes and initiatives, AIA has also recently been honoured with the Eco-Innovation Award from Airports Council International Europe.
European Tourism to Grow The tourism industry is expected to continue its expansion this year, according to the latest Eurobarometer survey, published by the European Commission. Based on the study, 70 percent of Europeans travelled for at least one overnight in 2013, 38 percent chose to spend their main holiday in another European Union (EU) country, while 42 percent opted to stay in their own country. This year only 11 percent of Europeans are expected not to take a holiday. Four in 10 people plan to vacation in their own county, with Greece, Croatia, Italy and Bulgaria leading this trend. Three in 10 travellers expect their main holiday to be in the EU, while 24 percent plan to visit a non-EU country. The top five EU holiday destinations remain Spain, France, Italy, Germany and Austria.
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TRAVEL CHANNELS
Cyprus Showcased in Germany Yiorgos Lakkotrypis, minister of energy, commerce, industry and tourism, led the Cyprus team at the International Tourism Bourse (ITB) in March.
W
Cyprus Stand at ITB
ithin the framework of the exhibition, Lakkotrypis had a series of meetings with representatives of airlines and tour operators in Germany with the main objective of promoting the island’s tourism product, further developing rela-
Cyprus Strengthens Ties with Montenegro A delegation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs recently completed a visit to Montenegro, following contacts made with neighbouring Serbia. During the trip, Ioannis Kasoulides, minister of foreign affairs, Cyprus, confirmed the historically friendly ties between Cyprus and Montenegro and discussed ways to further their development, including the establishment of new bilateral agreements in various fields. With regards to the European perspective of
Montenegro, Kasoulides confirmed Cyprus’ continued support to further promote Montenegro’s accession negotiations with the European Union (EU), stressing the readiness to provide technical assistance and expertise, since the cooperation of small member states in the EU is crucial. Moreover the two parties discussed regional issues, both with regards to the Western Balkan area and the wider region of the Southeastern Mediterranean.
PCCI Meets Ukrainian Counterpart As part of the efforts of the Paphos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) to promote the city as a reliable regional service centre and attract foreign investment and collaborations, chamber representatives met with Igor Kotov, vice president, Agrarian Chamber, Ukraine. Yiannakis Aristodemou, vice president, PCCI, commented on the considerable investment potential and opportunities in Paphos within the service, tourism and land development sectors. Moreover he reported on initiatives of the chamber for developing business partnerships with various countries with investment interest, including Ukraine, and recommended the organisation of a business investment forum in some cities of Ukraine in cooperation with the local chambers. Kotov presented the objectives and the action plan of the Ukrainian chamber and asked for the contribution of PCCI.
tions with German partners and enhancing the accessibility to Cyprus through increasing the available airlines seats from the European country. Hailed as one of the largest tourism exhibitions in the world, the annual ITB Berlin attracts some 11,000 exhibitors from 180 countries.
Competition Concludes at Larnaka International Airport Annita Stylianou of Nicosia has been announced as the winner of the latest promotion held by CTCARI Airports and Cyprus Airports Duty Free in collaboration with Emirates. For three months, passengers travelling through Larnaka International Airport and purchasing fragrances and cosmetics were invited to try their luck on the ‘Spin n Win’ roulette wheel. When landing on the red panels participants received a gift, the green field earned them a duty free voucher, while the black colour automatically entitled them to enter a draw to win the grand prize of a return trip to New York City with Emirates. The promotion proved to be a great success with tens of prizes being won daily. During the course of the competition, EUR40,000 worth of vouchers were given away, while the grand prize winner will soon enjoy a holiday, with her husband, to the ‘Big Apple’.
Representatives of the Ukrainian Chamber
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MONTHLY NEWS
Accommodation
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Londa Hotel
Londa Hotel Celebrates Women’s Day
Londa Hotel, Limassol compiled a day of activities specifically designed for women to meet, share and discuss their aspirations and goals within a relaxed and friendly atmosphere, on the occasion of International Women’s Day celebrated on March 8. The property offered complimentary pain relief back massages with all one hour facial treatments booked. The relaxation area, gym, steam room, sauna and Jacuzzi were also open to guests using the spa. During the afternoon Caprice Lounge Bar hosted live piano music, and cheese and fruit platters were gifted to all visitors who ordered a bottle of wine.
Europe: Accommodation Prices Drop to Three-Year Low The February trivago Hotel Price Index (tHPI) has revealed that room rates in several European countries, including France, Italy, Poland, Portugal and Cyprus, have plummeted to the lowest average price per night since January 2011. Based on data from the 23 most popular European countries on trivago, hotel prices have decreased by an average of seven percent year-on-year from GBP88 (EUR108) in 2013 to GBP82 (EUR100). Most notably Poland reported a 57 percent decline from the most expensive month in June 2012, with rates falling from GBP106 (EUR130) to GBP46 (EUR56). Likewise, prices in Cyprus plunged from GBP128 (EUR156) in August 2011 to GBP61 (EUR75) this February, down 52 percent. Compared to the corresponding month in 2013, Norway and Bulgaria recorded a 15 percent decline, while rates in France and Sweden shrank 12 percent.
Kanika Hotels & Resorts Honoured by Guests Alexander The Great Beach Hotel, Kanika Hotels & Resorts’ flagship hotel in Paphos, has been given the TripAdvisor Traveler’s Choice Award, with the review website ranking it first among the top 25 best hotels in Cyprus. The other properties in the company’s portfolio were also awarded; Olympic Lagoon Resort in Agia Napa for example ranked first among the family hotels and 10th in the overall top 25 properties, while Elias Beach Hotel in Limassol came fourth among the family hotels and 25th overall. The results were based on independent and voluntary reviews on TripAdvisor, hailed as the world’s largest interactive travel forum. Since 2010, Kanika Hotels & Resorts has invested more than EUR28 million in upgrading and renovating its hotels as part of the company’s endeavours to offer a superb hospitality experience on the island, building on the essential values of service, professionalism, innovation, respect, integrity, and teamwork. Alexander The Great Beach Hotel
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travel talk is your space
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TRAVEL TALK WES PORTER
ANTHEA VIKIS
CEO, Hermes Airports.
Marketing manager, Columbia Beach Resort.
“We welcome NIKI to Cyprus and we are delighted that Larnaca has been added to the NIKI route network. NIKI’s affordable fares, convenient flight schedule and excellent service will ensure the success of the Larnaca – Vienna route. Access to NIKI and airberlin’s extensive route network via NIKI’s Vienna [hub] will give the travelling public wider access to a range of destinations.”
NIKI’s […] excellent service will ensure the success of the Larnaca – Vienna route
CHRISTINA KAROUZI HADJICOSTI Director, SELAS Mapping Services.
“Our experience shows that users of mobile smartphones are now looking for applications that include comprehensive information instead of using many individual applications with limited information. This was the primary aim when creating MapCyprus: through a simple and easy-toimplement application, to be able to provide comprehensive information on Cyprus which would appeal to both Cypriots and foreigners. The large number of Cypriot as well as foreign users of the application confirms that we have fully achieved that goal.”
“We are delighted to be recognised and awarded [as the winner in the Top Luxury Hotel category in Cyprus] by Tripadvisor and our guests, whose reviews are the very reason we can add yet another award to our ‘people’s choice’ award collection. These awards, due to reviews or votes from our own dear guests, are especially important and valuable to us.”
These awards [...] are especially important and valuable to us
TONY ANTONIOU Chairman, Limassol Tourism Board.
“Amongst the board’s priorities is the International Limassol Conference Centre, a project that will play an important role in prolonging the tourist season and increasing tourism in Limassol, by attracting visitors of a high social, cultural and economic level. [...] The new projects also include the Limassol Marina, a project of crucial importance since it places both Limassol and Cyprus on the world map of nautical tourism. At a cost of EUR350 million, the marina is a jewel for our city and we expect it will become a magnet for high-net-worth visitors.”
TRAVEL TALK IS YOUR SPACE – this is a casual forum for travel industry professionals to discuss current issues and share stories. We want to hear from you, so send your comments, questions, frustrations and observations to editorial@traveltradecyprus.travel APRIL 2014
RENDEZVOUS
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Q & A with Michael Demosthenous As Cyprus undergoes a wealth of improvements across the spectrum of its tourism offering, Michael Demosthenous, tourism consultant and training, Elpis Tourism & Hospitality Seminars, explains how the industry can benefit from knowledge, and why, as mirrors of the destination’s image, hospitality staff must be rigorously trained in all areas.
Travel Trade Cyprus: What kind of events does Elpis Tourism & Hospitality Seminars organise, and what are your main goals through these? Michael Demosthenous: Elpis Tourism & Hospitality Seminars organises various events. As an experienced company in the field of hospitality, travel and customer care, we produce training seminars in these fields mainly to improve employee performance, tourism awareness and customer satisfaction. The seminars can be funded by Cyprus’ Human Resource Development Authority (HRDA) since Elpis Tourism & Hospitality Seminars is a licensed company. The seminars are dedicated to all the people involved in the tourism industry such as hotels, restaurants, hotel apartments, villas, souvenir shops, car hire companies, taxi drivers, travel agents, district community officers, the police force and traffic warders. We also organise lectures promoting Cyprus’ history, Cyprus’ tourism infrastructure and again tourism awareness, as we believe it is very important for our society to comprehend the benefits of tourism, socially and economically, when tourism is based on sustainable factors. These events are offered to local authorities, schools and for any organisation that needs to improve its employees’ tourism awareness. Our company also has experience in the field of organising festivals and cultural events, promoting in this way our culture and local produce. Travel Trade Cyprus: How receptive and open are hoteliers to educating their staff in order to improve the property’s offering? Michael Demosthenous: At the beginning of our journey in the field of seminars 10 years ago we could not really say that it was easy to convince hoteliers that they needed to train their staff in order to improve their product, and this was also our case in our effort to provide professional information to clients about Cyprus. In many cases hoteliers would answer that their staff are trained in-house by a supervisor so they did not need our services. However, the demand from tour operators in terms of quality of services and also sustainability issues grew, and therefore hoteliers became more receptive to our call for training. There are cases though where hoteliers always have been improving their product, seeking more and more customer satisfacAPRIL 2014
tion in order to build trust among clients for them to come again. Travel Trade Cyprus: Do you believe that the sector could benefit from employing more Cypriots which could in turn potentially enhance the tourists’ experience in the country?
Michael Demosthenous Tourism consultant and training, Elpis Tourism & Hospitality Seminars
Michael Demosthenous: The most important for customers when visiting a destination is to experience local hospitality, local produce and cuisine. It is the responsibility of the owner though, when foreign staff are employed, to have them trained in the field of hospitality the way the Cypriots perceive it. Secondly [employees from outside of Cyprus] must gain a basic knowledge of who we are and what we can offer to visitors in terms of history and culture. Of course language is very important, so basic Greek language skills are essential. The recent economic crisis has left thousands of Cypriots unemployed and personally I have been suggesting for months now to the government to organise a programme for the unemployed to be trained in order to be absorbed into the tourism industry. Cypriots have a better understanding of our hospitality and can enhance our visitors’ experience. It is up to the owners though to utilise Cypriot staff and local Cypriot produce in the correct way in order to enhance the general experience. We see in many cases that own-
ers do not really respect what we have, either in terms of staff or local produce and seek cheap solutions for the sake of quick profit, diminishing in many ways our image as a quality tourist destination. Travel Trade Cyprus: Does the Cypriot tourism industry cater sufficiently to foreign visitors? What should be done to improve the tourism product? Michael Demosthenous: Cyprus as an island and as a location in the Mediterranean has always received great interest from visitors either because of the unique natural environment or the rich historical importance. For the past 50 years Cyprus has invested greatly to improve visitor experience in terms of infrastructure at the seaside areas but not so much in terms of sustainability, agrotourism, ecotourism, training and tourism awareness amongst its people. For a tourist destination to be successful all-yearround, various government and public services need to cooperate. First of all the government needs to identify that tourism can, and will sustain our economy for many years to come, especially now that the banking sector has failed. We need a new legislation that will protect our heritage and culture and natural environment but also better and new ways of promotion dedicated to specific groups of people. Recently we have seen more attention and interest in communities in the mountain regions, but also for Cypriot produce. The interest from visitors grew as new activities became available to them. More agrotourism facilities are being constructed, nature trails have been improved, religious sites have been restored and festivals based on local produce and tradition are organised. All these factors are in favour of our image but also for the local culture which has been neglected for many years.
Training Sessions at Four Seasons Cyprus
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