Deputy Minister of Tourism Costas Koumis expressed his optimism for tourism's performance in 2025, noting that proper strategic planning is needed, as the industry enters a new cycle, with new challenges and different expectations from travelers.
In his speech at the opening ceremony of the 46th Hotel Conference and Exhibition of Products and Services, organized today in Limassol by the Cyprus Hoteliers Association, Mr. Koumis stated that the positive results of 2024 confirmed that the tourism industry remains a vital pillar for the country's economy and that, with the right strategies, even the greatest challenges can be overcome.
In the greeting, read by the Director General of the Deputy Ministry of Tourism, Costas Constantinou, the Deputy Minister pointed out that "looking ahead to 2025, there is reasonable reason for optimism, although the challenges of last year continue to exist."
He noted that geopolitical conflicts continue, air transport faces several challenges, while Europe – the main market for Cypriot tourism – is expected to be affected by the new US pricing policy.
At the same time, however, he pointed out that 2025 is expected to be another successful year for tourism and stressed that "it is time to pay more attention to the qualitative characteristics of tourism, rather than the quantitative ones."
He noted that the Deputy Ministry believes that 2024 marked the end of an important cycle for Cypriot tourism, which lasted almost ten years and is now entering a new one, where "the world has changed, the industry faces new challenges and travelers' expectations have also changed."
"Therefore, to remain competitive, Cyprus must evolve and innovate," he added.
Referring to the challenges facing Cypriot tourism, as well as many other tourist destinations as he indicated, Mr. Koumis said that these concern climate change, the adequacy of infrastructure, the lack of workforce and skills, and overtourism. The challenges, he stressed, although significant, are not insurmountable if there is careful planning, cooperation and a focus on innovation.
Specifically, he said that Cyprus must adopt sustainable tourism practices and take preventive measures to address the threat of climate change, investing in the promotion of mountainous and alternative destinations on the island, with a cooler climate and in extending the tourist season beyond the summer months. “The Deputy Ministry has already started implementing actions in this direction, promoting, where applicable, a green approach,” he added.
He also referred to the need to continuously promote Cyprus' tourism product through innovative actions, which will highlight not only the traditional experience of the sun and the sea, but also special forms of tourism.
"Responding to the evolving preferences of tourists by developing and promoting specific forms of tourism in which Cyprus can be more competitive is the key to remaining relevant and successful," the Deputy Minister indicated.
Among other things, in his greeting, Mr. Koumis said that the Deputy Ministry of Tourism plans to operate as a hub for providing assistance to tourists who wish to have a more personalized experience, while it already offers incentives for digital transition to providers of forms of tourism of special interest and to those who wish to improve their digital systems that will help manage the flow of visitors and their evolving needs.
He also highlighted the importance of supporting local communities and businesses to preserve their tradition and participation in the planning and management of tourism activities, of taking preventive measures so that Cyprus remains a safe destination in times of crisis, and of collaborating with all those involved in the decision-making process for the tourism industry.
In conclusion, Costas Koumis said that "by facing future challenges, while capitalizing on opportunities with sustainable practices, innovation and collaboration, we can ensure that Cyprus will remain a competitive tourist destination for years to come."
His optimism for the local tourism industry was also expressed in his speech by the President of PASYXE, Thanos Michaelides, who referred to the 2024 statistics and the challenges facing the sector.
Specifically, as he said, 2024 broke the attendance record, with over 4 million visitors, "proving that, even amidst geopolitical turmoil, the Cypriot tourism industry remains resilient and adaptable."
Encouraging, he continued, are the figures for the non-summer months, since compared to 2023, last March saw a 10% increase in arrivals, November a 13% increase and December an 8% increase.
These percentages, he said, are an indication that "we can indeed extend the operation of our hotels throughout the year" and expressed the position that "to achieve this, we need a strategy for the potential areas that can bring more travelers to Cyprus between November and March."
According to Mr. Michaelides, there are several sectors in which Cyprus can invest and promote, such as sports tourism, hiking, special entertainment events, such as concerts and international conferences, special interest tours, such as wine tours, tours of archaeological and religious sites, and artistic events.
"We need to develop and promote all aspects of tourism simultaneously, because there is no single solution to overcoming seasonality," he said, adding that by extending the tourist season to off-peak months, "we will have an even distribution of the labor market throughout the year and improved profitability of the industry, which will also lead to more investment in hotels."
In addition, the President of PASYXE referred to the challenges of the labor market and infrastructure, the need to implement environmentally sustainable practices, which, as he said, visitors are now seeking, and the legislative regulation of the operation of Airbnb-type accommodations. He also emphasized the need to invest in Artificial Intelligence know-how, which has begun to shape the way businesses operate, which must remain competitive in the face of international market trends.
Saying that PASYXE remains optimistic about the future and continues to play a vital role in the economic development of the country, Thanos Michaelides underlined the necessary closer cooperation between the private and public sectors in a "competitive and complex environment."
He also emphasized that, in order to monitor and evaluate the successes of actions and for better returns, "we must develop a robust data collection system, which will allow both sectors to make informed, data-based decisions, ensuring that we move forward in a targeted manner."
"As the oldest association in Cyprus, founded in 1936, we are confident that we will overcome the challenges ahead of us and continue to shape a prosperous future for the industry and the country," concluded the President of PASYXE in his greeting.
Source: KYPE
