In the context of the operation of the Hospitality Committee, the elaboration of an action plan is underway, which will aim at the development of the meaning of the word hospitality in our country, said today the Deputy Minister of Tourism, Savvas Perdios.
Welcoming him during the ceremony of the 2nd annual awards of the Agency "Cypriot Hospitality", Mr. Perdios said that as a State Department, we have experienced that quality tourism is not only the wonderful hotel units, it is also the authentic traditional hospitality and the high level of behavior ”.
This, he continued, is the reason why the Ministry of Tourism, from the very first days of its operation, created the Hospitality Committee, "whose role is to give flesh and blood in the sense of the word hospitality".
In the context of the operation of the Hospitality Committee, he underlined, the elaboration of an action plan “which will aim to develop the meaning of the word hospitality in our place, with actions that concern not only the tourism professionals, but also the local society at large ”.
He also pointed out that "in the field of tourism we have specialization, to create positive emotions and to host the visitors of our country and every action should aim to offer these unprecedented positive emotions to those who come to see our country".
Mr. Perdios stated that, reading the stories that have happened in Cypriot tourism companies, he feels proud as a Cypriot, as a tourism professional and as Deputy Minister of Tourism, “not only for what they have achieved, but for this expression of love that I look to the visitors but also to the colleagues ”.
He also congratulated all those who were awarded for the best hospitality practices, excellent service and professional culture, assured that the Ministry of Tourism will be next to the Agency "Cypriot Hospitality" and did not rule out that the institution of awards to be under the auspices of " provided that the selection criteria will be determined in consultation with the Hosting Committee ".
Today, the hospitable guests enjoy the satisfaction for the recognition of their actions, said on his part Polys Kallis, President of the Agency "Cypriot Hospitality", which includes most professional associations and a variety of tourism professionals, with the aim of recording and promoting best practices hospitality in the tourism industry.
He also pointed out the challenges that the Agency faces and which concern the objectivity and common acceptance of the selection criteria, the application of an effective and universal method of story collection and finally, the institutionalization of reward recognition as an essential component of professional and business excellence.
For the latter, the President of the Agency called on the institutional bodies of labor relations to go ahead, and if possible to institutionalize, "perhaps as part of collective agreements", ways and means to highlight and promote excellence.
"We call on the state and institutions to deal more extensively, adequately and systematically with issues of work culture, training and education, vocational guidance, professional recognition and professional incentives," he said, adding that a coordinator for all this could be a project. Chamber of Tourism, as it operates in other countries.
Mr. Kalli finally mentioned that today a small portion of worthy ambassadors of the Cypriot hospitality are honored, who were selected from the proposals that became known, "knowing that there are dozens of good and perhaps better stories that have not been announced".
The awards concern the four categories, "Aristoxenia" Excellent Hospitality, Excellent Service, Professional Culture and finally, Social Offer.
The first prize "Aristoxenia" was awarded to Despo Konstanti, head of hotel flooring in Ayia Napa, who hosted a Swiss tourist for a day in her own house, when after a mistake there was no room available for her first night. She also accompanied her guest to a relative's wedding, giving her the appropriate clothes.
The group award "Aristoxenia" was received by the hotel team of Limassol, which spontaneously opened the hotel restaurant and created a romantic atmosphere with flowers, music and balloons, surprising a couple of tourists who wanted to celebrate their wedding anniversary.
Their human face was also highlighted by several professionals in the field, such as Androulla Vassou, a maid at a hotel in Ayia Napa, who was awarded for the care and attention of a quadriplegic tourist, who chose to travel unaccompanied for ten days in Cyprus.
In another case, a Limassol hotel team - including the manager - visited a tourist who had to be hospitalized to sing "Happy Birthday" to him for his birthday.
These stories are recorded by the Agency "Cypriot Hospitality", which calls on all relevant bodies to ensure that the excellent deeds and the high value of hospitality are recorded and promoted.
Source: KYPE