Costas Koumis : Challenges always exist, and what mat- ters is to make good use of the resilience that our sector has built during crises. We expected 800 000 arrivals from Russia, indeed, yet this loss provided the impetus to solve the problem of overdependence on specific markets. Immediately, we turned to other European markets, such as Poland, France, Switzerland, Austria and other coun- tries, which previously could not find a sufficient number of rooms during the high season. Thus, we managed to recover to a great extent the loss of the expected arrivals from the Russian and the Ukrainian markets. Jean-Emmanuel Hay : Indeed, it seems that, due to this war, Cyprus is looking to diversify its markets in a matter of tourism, and is trying to attract more Europeans, even from markets that don't know Cyprus very well, like France: last year we got two flights a week, between Cyprus and France, now more than twenty. What will you do to increase your visibility in markets like France, to get these flights full of visitors ? Costas Koumis : Cyprus presents a very attractive tourism product for the market of France, from which arrivals almost doubled in 2022, as well as other European markets.
There is an increasing trend which we want to maintain. Our actions will move in two directions: towards building awareness among individual travelers and small groups, raising the awareness about our tourism product through promotional activities, especially digital marketing; and towards investing in our cooperation with the most important French tour operators. Jean-Emmanuel Hay : What is your vision of the develop- ment of high-end tourism in Cyprus? More golf courses? More marinas? Costas Koumis : High-end tourism is not limited to single products and developments, but rather consists in combi- ning these with everything else the visitor expects. Cyprus offers personalized, authentic experiences, and engagement with the local community and the natural environment, always within a sustainable framework. We will soon have one marina in each coastal town, while golf is a product already developed in our country, all the major brands are here for years, while our gastronomy is always offering unforgettable moments.
www.visitcyprus.com
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~C L A S S & R E L A X L I F E S T Y L E M A G A Z I N E - B U S I N E S S - 2023 ~
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