The crisis triggered by the coronavirus is an opportunity to re-measure the contribution of tourism and to better build a sustainable and inclusive sustainable tourism, says PASYXE President Haris Loizidis on the occasion of World Tourism Day on September 27.
"Unfortunately, tourism has been hit hard by the pandemic, with things evolving based on the worst case scenario. In these circumstances, the support of the workers in the tourism industry by the state was of major importance and a move in the right direction. "For our part, as the Hoteliers Association we will continue to support the State's efforts to address the effects of the pandemic and to recover the economy," he assures.
At the same time, he adds, as far as this is possible, we will intensify the effort in cooperation with the State and other stakeholders so that the year is not completely lost and to return to satisfactory rates from 2021.
It is our strong conviction, Mr. Loizidis emphasizes, that despite the serious problems created by the pandemic in the tourism industry, we must not be disoriented from the goals we have set to invest in the quality and upgrade of the tourism product offered by Cyprus and to promote of our country as a full-time tourist destination.
Mr. Loizidis states that the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has designated 2020 as the Year of Tourism and Rural Development, thus highlighting the role that tourism can play in protecting the natural and cultural heritage and limiting the concentration of population in urban centers.
The goal of the Organization, he states, is to raise awareness about the value of tourism in social, cultural, political and economic level and the ways in which it can contribute to achieving the goals of sustainable development. "Tourism in rural areas can create significant opportunities for recovery, especially at this time when local communities are being called upon to deal with the economic and social impact of the pandemic," he said.
According to the President of PASYXE, the new National Strategy for Tourism is moving in this context, which gives special importance to the development beyond the traditional tourist areas and specifically in the countryside and in the rural region.
For the first time in history, the official celebrations of World Tourism Day will be hosted by a group of countries and not just one UNWTO member state. In particular, cross-border cooperation between Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Chile as observers sends the message of international solidarity and cooperation with a view to restarting after the pandemic.