The Municipality of Paralimni prepared its own Integrated Tourism Strategy, with a vision to make the city a quality year-round tourist destination for couples and families, for locals and foreigners. The Strategy targets three main axes, which emerged through a process of identifying the most efficient tourism development factors in the region, namely the fight against seasonality, the increase in the number of tourists attracted by the region, but also the increase of the tourist impact it enjoys. Paralimni by every tourist.
The profile of the tourist of Paralimni
The main ingredient that attracts the tourist to Paralimni is the holidays, the sun and the sea, the general satisfaction and the intention to visit again.
Specifically, as far as the domestic tourist is concerned, his profile mainly concerns married or single couples from Nicosia or Larnaca, aged 18-44, who live in a privately owned residence or four-star hotel for 5-7 days. As for the foreign tourist, it usually refers to couples from the United Kingdom or Russia, aged 18-54, staying in three or four star hotels or in All Inclusive accommodation for about nine days.
More specifically, in terms of domestic tourism in Paralimni, 52% comes from Nicosia, 27% from Larnaca, 13% from Limassol, 7% from the province of Famagusta and 1% from Paphos.
Foreign tourists come mainly from the United Kingdom (50,2%), Russia (18,7%), Sweden (8,2%), Denmark (4,1%), Norway (3,7%) , Israel (2,3%) and Lebanon (1,8%), while 50% of foreign tourists are married couples.
It is important that the overwhelming percentage of 91% visit Paralimni for the sun and the sea and 58% for a short break, while it is noteworthy that 88% of visitors say they are very or very satisfied with their visit.
The Strategy
Tourism development for the Municipality of Paralimni, according to the Integrated Strategy, focuses on attracting and increasing tourists through targeting markets and online presence, improving the tourism product through improving infrastructure and cooperation with the private sector and improving and combating it. seasonality through the development of alternative tourism products and the cooperation of the wider Famagusta region.
In terms of targeted markets, the strategy proposes to focus mainly on the English, Russian and Scandinavian markets, which are already the main markets with the already existing access to and from our country, while at a later stage it is proposed the development of the German and Chinese markets. At the same time, the development of alternative forms of tourism is proposed, such as Gastronomic, Nautical-Diving and Cultural-Religious.
Equally important is the cooperation of the region of free Famagusta, which concerns a way in which it will consolidate the success of the extension of the tourist season and will develop a common branding for the region, while developing parallel and common goals as well as specific routes and mergers. of the entire coastal front with mutual promotion, joint promotions, infrastructure development and complementary forms of tourism.
The study of the Integrated Tourism Strategy of the Municipality of Paralimni was prepared by the company CMRC Cypronetwork after the assignment of the contract by the Municipality of Paralimni and was recently presented in the presence of the Deputy Minister of Tourism, who stated that the Municipality of Paralimni proposals proposed through the National Tourism Strategy 2020-2030, in which, in addition to the common policy to be followed to upgrade the tourism product, each region is useful and at the same time necessary, as it proceeds to design its own strategy in response to its own characteristics and needs. He added that the goal is to achieve the best possible result for the successful diffusion and promotion of the quality upgraded tourism product, both domestically and in the global market internationally, so that it additionally functions as one of the most strategic levers for the development of the Cypriot economy. The Ministry of Tourism, as he said, will be in synergy with the Municipality of Paralimni and a helper for the successful execution of this process.
The Mayor of Paralimni, Theodoros Pyrillis, for his part, stated that on March 11, 2020 the theory becomes a practice, since the company that undertook the study proceeds to implement the practices suggested, with the citation of the first workshop, in the presence and officials of the Ministry of Tourism, to those interested to participate in this process.