This year's tourist year will be more successful than last year, estimates the Famagusta Province Tourism Development and Promotion Company, according to the Director of the Famagusta Tourism Development and Promotion Company, Lakis Avraamidis, who spoke of very promising.
"2017 was a very successful year in terms of tourism for the free area of Famagusta, as it far exceeded one million visitors. "So far, the indications for the arrival of tourists in our area are very promising and we hope that 2018 will be a better year", he said in his statements to KYPE.
He added that "we already have indications from some markets, such as Britain and Germany, for an increased number of tourists who will visit Cyprus, while arrivals from Switzerland have also increased. "Some small markets, such as the Czech Republic and Poland, have started to recover and from the data so far, it seems that the number of people who will visit the free area of Famagusta, from these countries, will increase significantly."
Mr. Avraamidis also stated that "last Tuesday a meeting of the Company was held, during which the program for the participation of the province of Famagusta in various tourism fairs that will take place in 2018 was discussed. Thoughts for organizing were also discussed. events and other actions that will be undertaken with the aim of promoting the free province of Famagusta ".
After stating that "from January 24 to 27, a delegation from the Famagusta ETAP participated in the Dublin Tourism Fair in Ireland", he noted that "Ireland has always been a very good market for Cyprus and especially for the province of Famagusta. The fact that after several years direct flights have started from Dublin to Larnaca and Paphos, makes us happy and we hope to absorb a large number of visitors from this country ".
Mr. Avraamidis expressed the Company's satisfaction and satisfaction "for the launch of direct flights between Ireland - Cyprus" and wished "to reach the good old days, about 8 years ago, when about 70 thousand Irish people visited our island. However, this number, precisely due to the lack of direct flights, fell in 2016 to three thousand people ".
Answering a relevant question, he said that "at the same time as the tourist fair in Dublin, the big tourist fair in Zurich in Switzerland took place, however we preferred to participate in the fair in Ireland, in order to be able to take part in the large number of tourists who visited Cyprus years ago ".
Referring to the Swiss market, Mr. Avraamidis noted that "it is a market that clearly visits the province of Famagusta. We hope that with the direct flights started by a specific airline from Cyprus to Zurich and Geneva, it will be easier for tourists to descend from Switzerland. We plan in the coming months to hold a special event in this country, either as ETAP Famagusta or in collaboration with the CTO, with the aim of promoting our province.
To another question, he replied that a delegation from the Famagusta ETAP will participate in the exhibitions that will take place between February 13-19 in Prague and Stockholm, in the wedding exhibition that will take place in March in Birmingham, Britain and in the major tourism fairs in Berlin, Moscow. , Kiev, Dubai and London.
He also noted that "ETAP Famagusta has limited its participation in various tourism fairs and will organize various events, either alone or in cooperation with the Cyprus Tourism Organization, will conduct campaigns in various countries, with major airlines and "According to the developments, other actions are planned in Lebanon and Ukraine".
According to Mr. Avraamidis, among the actions that will be implemented by the Company to promote the province, is the publication of brochures in English, German and Russian. He added that the funds allocated last year for a specific campaign that was organized on social media and had a great impact, will be increased, with the aim of repeating this campaign this year as well.
Source: KYPE