The Deputy Minister of Tourism, Mr. Costas Koumis, attended the annual General Assembly of the Pancyprian Association of Hotel Managers (PASYDIXE) which took place yesterday, Tuesday, April 8, 2025, in Limassol.
In his greeting, Mr. Koumis, who represented the President of the Republic, Mr. Nikos Christodoulides, praised the continuous and valuable contribution of PA.SY.DI.XE. to the tourism industry of Cyprus, adding that the offer of quality services can only arise as the result of proper management of the human resources of the industry, mainly the hotel industry, which constitutes the basis of the tourism pyramid in our country.
He also underlined the historical action of PA.SY.DI.XE. in ensuring the continuous upgrading of destinations, the offering of excellent tourist experiences and the good reputation of our country, while addressing the members of PA.SY.DI.XE. he stated the following:
"Our collective responsibility is to work harmoniously to diversify the tourism product, investing in the green transition, collaborating with local authorities to green destinations and together to invest in highlighting the comparative advantages of our country."
He described the field of tourism as "more competitive than ever before", with the exogenous factors affecting tourism having multiplied, to refer to the historic achievements recorded by our country's tourism in 2024, despite the ominous forecasts and continuous challenges, which, as he emphasized, is a success for everyone.
Concluding, the Deputy Minister of Tourism stated characteristically: "Despite the uncertainty that has just overwhelmed the global economy, we remain optimistic that this year too we will manage to have a successful tourism year, beneficial for tourism businesses and local communities."
On behalf of PA.SY.DI.XE., a greeting was delivered by the President of the Association, Mr. Marios Ellinas, who, among other things, mentioned that the role of the director is multidimensional:
"He is a leader, a regulator, an innovator, a mediator between the client and the team and the owners. His regulatory position must be recognized in the formulation of the national tourism strategy," while adding that "at the same time, we do not ignore the need to become better and evolve. Our professional upgrading is a prerequisite for progress."
Mr. Ellinas also referred to the value of the experiential experience offered to visitors, the cultivation of tourism awareness, the role of technology in tourism, and the importance of sustainability in tourism, concluding:
"The potential of Cyprus is inexhaustible: culture, gastronomy, nature, infrastructure. We must create activities for every month of the year, for every age and for every interest. To drastically extend the tourist season with benefits for everyone: local communities, businesses, employees."
Finally, on behalf of the President of the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI), Mr. Stavros Stavros, a greeting was delivered by the Deputy Secretary General of the CCCI, Mr. Andreas Andreou, underlining that the country's tourism is on an extremely positive course, since last year both arrivals and tourism revenues set a record amidst a difficult situation given the geopolitical challenges and international economic uncertainty, stating that "these parameters make our success even more remarkable".
Mr. Andreou concluded by calling on the co-responsible bodies for tourism, through a collective vision, to cooperate, so that 2025 will be a new milestone year for Cypriot tourism. “Building on last year’s success and the coordinated efforts now being made by the Deputy Ministry of Tourism and our Professional Associations, we can bring even better results,” he concluded.
Also, in the context of the General Assembly, Ms. Eva Tzoumba was awarded for organizing the conference "Empowering Women at the Higher Levels of Tourism" and the Director of the Department of Services, Commerce and Digitization of the CCCI, Mr. Christos Petsidis, for his 30-year contribution to PA.SY.DI.XE. from the position of Executive Secretary of the Association. The awards were presented by the Minister of Transport, Communications and Works, Mr. Alexis Vafeadis, and the Deputy Minister of Tourism, Mr. Costas Koumis, respectively.
