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The absence of a clear-cut national policy on tourism has proven once again that the Minister of Trade and Tourism, as well as the state tourism board, are powerless and cannot react to problems that arise, such as the issue of jurisdiction over the sinking of a boat near Paralimni in order to develop sea diving.
But out of every problem arises an opportunity, or so the saying goes.
Although the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources is responsible for the safekeeping of our environment, whether on land or in the sea, it was left out of the decision to sink a small ship, which the local community now says will benefit the diving industry.
On the other hand, the hotel enterprises owners’ association, STEK, criticised the government for not implementing parts of the (ill-fated) tourism master plan that called for the creation of at least four “diving parks” of the coast of Cyprus.
Among the 50 or so diving sites Cyprus has to offer, only two are of significant vessels, the Vera K off Paphos and the Zenovia near Larnaca, that have in time acquired their own sub aquatic culture suitable and attractive to divers.
However, it is ironic that with so many diving centres and shops dotted around the island, Cyprus does not offer itself as a diving destination.
Local divers take time off and seek to snorkel or deep see dive in the coral reefs and the warm, crystal clear waters of the Red Sea, the India Ocean and South East Asia.
Cyprus cannot offer such perfect diving conditions, but it can develop what the tourism industry is calling “diving parks” that will ultimately cost the state almost nothing to maintain (nature will do it for you), but with tremendous benefits to the tourism industry and specifically to the accommodation, entertainment and professional services provided by the island’s PADI-qualified diving centres. Undersea visits to sunken archaeological sites and swimming with the living inhabitants of the underwater world could open up new prospects for tourism.
This is a boom area that needs very little to develop. And with the right cooperation with the various marine and environmental departments, Cyprus could very soon find itself as a hot spot on the world diving map.
