PERDIOS - DIFFICULT NEXT TWO YEARS FOR TOURISM

 Filenews 7 October 2020

The next two years are expected to be difficult for tourism according to Deputy Tourism Minister Savvas Perdios, who noted that in order to achieve recovery in 2023 or 2024 actions to upgrade Cyprus' tourism product should be accelerated "so that we can fight claims when the time comes".

In statements after the Cabinet meeting, Mr Perdios said he had informed the Cabinet of the progress of the implementation of the action plan of the national strategy for 2020.

Despite the difficulties that exist due to the pandemic, "the implementation path is at 75% by the end of August, at very high levels that is," he said.

Regarding the studies provided for, Mr. Perdios informed that "we have been put out in an open competition for a study concerning the environmental impact and the carrying capacity of the entire national tourism strategy", adding that "it was something that was a prerequisite within the law of the Ministry of State".

Also, he added, "we are in the process of evaluating the applicants for the study concerning the sustainable tourism development of the Chrysochous and Tylliria City District and will soon end up with the contractor".

Regarding marketing and promotion, the Deputy Minister of Tourism said that "the pandemic has given us the opportunity to change quite a bit the way the country is viewed and advertised abroad". It has given us the opportunity to put even more emphasis on digital marketing, social media and so on. , at this time'.

In a reference to the upgrading of the tourist product, Mr. Perdios said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has proceeded with various sponsorship plans. He made reference to a plan to upgrade the visual image of the recreation centers. Also, he said, we will soon announce a plan that provides grants to Municipalities and Communities for the visual upgrading of the beaches, explaining that it concerns beds, umbrellas, reeds, etc.

Also, continued Mr. Perdios, we recently announced a sponsorship plan for the purchase of equipment and infrastructure related to diving equipment, cycling, public toilets and changing rooms, recycling bins, etc.

In the area of the promotion of local products, he said, "too much progress has been made on the part of the State Department in consultation with other Ministries". To this he referred to the emphasis placed on the Cyprus Breakfast and Cyprus Brunch Pact, explaining that this is a pact that promotes and promotes the use of Cypriot products in breakfasts and brunches of hotels and dining areas. "It's a very important thing for the future and we're putting it forward," he said.

Mr Perdios also informed that there has also been consultation with those responsible for redefining wine routes. In recent years there have been too many wineries on these roads and we are incorporating them as part of our own promotion, he said.

He said procedures have been speeded up with the Ministry of Agriculture to secure traditional products. At the same time, he added, we are working very closely with the Department of Commerce to create a law that allows housework. Which, he added, "as Secretary of State we consider to be very important for the development of rural and acritic mountain areas so that we can now offer experiential experiences to visitors".

With regard to specific forms of tourism, the Deputy Minister of Tourism said that a great deal of emphasis has been placed in recent months, adding that "we have changed and strengthened all incentive plans concerning specific forms of tourism, whether this concerns culture, gastronomy, cycling, sporting events, etc."

At the same time, he said, we have done a full inspection of the maps highlighting the cycling routes of Cyprus, so we will be ready to project them in a more intense way.

Savvas Perdios also announced that "we have succeeded in bringing to Cyprus for the first time in two – three weeks one of the most remarkable golf tournaments in the world". For two weeks Cyprus will be the golf capital at least in Europe, he said, adding that this is the "European PGA", which is very important for attracting this tourism but also for putting Cyprus on the world map concerning golf.

He said the State Department is in the process of mapping "various authentic experiences on a 300 km route that is located in our mountainous, countryside and acritic areas." It's a huge task, he said, expressing hope that it will be officially operational next summer. Essentially, he explained, this route will give the visitor the opportunity to close directly an authentic experience with the provider.

Regarding the legislation, Mr. Perdios said that the State Department in cooperation with the Ministry of the Interior is at an advanced stage for the law governing the management of beaches and the bill limiting sound pollution. It is at an advanced stage working with the Ministry of Transport and the bill on vehicle rental, he added.

"The progress of the implementation of the action plan fully satisfies us," he said, adding that we still have a few months to go before the end of the year to get as close as possible to 100%. What cannot be achieved this year will certainly be included in the 2021-2022 action plan, he said, adding that consultation on the pandemic action plan will accelerate some medium-term actions.

Asked if he has an insight into the tourism picture in 2021, he replied that "it's too early, for two reasons." First of all, he said 'we see that in Europe there is a second wave (COVID-19) and many airline programmes are fully re-evaluated'.

"There is no foreign partner able to tell us from now on what will happen in 2021," he said, adding that from our point of view "we see that the successive change in the categorization of countries does not allow medium- or long-term planning actions." He recommended patience, until there is a more stable climate in terms of country categorisation and pandemics abroad in general, "but it should not seem strange if we have to wait several months until we are given the indications for 2021".

He made reference to the instability of the current period, noting that "the essential thing is that as the State Department and as tourism operators we have all now realized that the recovery of tourism and the return of numbers to 2019 levels will probably take some years, with the good perhaps in 2023 or even 2024". So, he said, "the next two years in particular will be a difficult two years," adding that "at the moment no one can know for sure exactly what those numbers will be."

But he sent the message that "we continue to work feverishly to get tourism back to where it was, the important thing that we all need to understand and go along with is that in order to achieve recovery at least in 2023 or 2024 some steps or actions that were in the plans of the State Department and tourism bodies to upgrade the product and businesses must be accelerated so that we can fight claims when the time comes".

When asked about the competition, he replied that competition is certainly more intense, there will certainly be pressures especially next year and on prices, it is something that has been dealt with again this year. However, he pointed out, "we are optimistic that Cyprus has a very valuable product and if the State Department's plan of actions with regard to upgrading is followed, we are confident that we will be able to come back".

Asked about the domestic tourism plan, Mr Perdios replied that "it has gone very well, it is very interesting". To this end, he said that more than EUR 650 000 of the EUR 2 million already had been spent. that were available while the project runs for another month and a half or so.

"The State Department is already in the process of evaluating winter as well," he said, adding that "our wish is to extend the plan for some months of winter."

Eyenews/AFP