Cyprus tourism in retreat

The Chairman of the Association of Cyprus Tourist Enterprises (STEK) Akis Vavlitis said that despite the tourism industry still constituting a significant part of the economy, this was not reflected in state policy towards the sector.

“Our tourism industry is in retreat, mostly because of our own mistakes, the lack of proper policy and disrespect for the environment and worsening service to foreign holidaymakers.”

The Association is worried at the slow pace of growth in tourism in Cyprus, up by only 0.6% in 2007 compared to 6% robust growth in global tourism. Nevertheless, Cyprus was still classed 26th out of 176 counties where tourism made an important contribution to GDP.
Tourism used to contribute over 20% of GDP, but in the last five years this has dropped to some 13%, having been overtaken by the services and real estate sectors. Vavlitis said that since 2001 tourism to Cyprus had dropped 10.4%.
He said the global rise of 6% was remarkable considering the external factors that have plagued the industry since 9/11, such as increased fuel prices, terrorism, health and safety issues and inflation. Yet Cyprus seemed unable to weather these storms in the same way, he said.
Vavlitis said STEK had handed over a list of 38 proposals to all three presidential candidates. He said Papadopoulos had agreed with them and that the other two candidates AKEL’s Demetris Christofias and DISY’s Ioannis Kasoulides told him if they were elected they would implement 90% of them.