Paphos Mayor Savvas Vergas believes this year’s eleventh opera to be hosted at the old castle in the first week of September will be just as successful as last year’s Madame Butterfly, leaving its mark on the world culture scene, as the town steams ahead with plans to host the European Cultural Capital in 2017.
Vergas, who also chairs the organiser Paphos Aphrodite Festival Co., said that although Leo Delibes’ opera, Lakme, is not as popular as last year’s opera, he feels confident that the 2,400-seat capacity will be sold out.
This year’s opera is set in 19th century India and (as usual with the Paphos operas) is based on the theme of forbidden love. Lakme will be staged on September 4, 5 and 6 by the National Sofia Opera and Ballet with a mix of Bulgarian and Cypriot performers.
“I hope we will do just as well as last year when all three performances were sold out,” Vergas said, adding that ticket sales so far are at the same levels as this time last year.
He added that this year he expects more online sales through the organiser’s website (www.pafc.com.cy) and the improved telesales system deployed by Evresis Call Centre on 8000-8005. Ticket are being sold at EUR 35, 50, 60 and 80.
Asked about the lack of cooperation from local establishments that do not stay open in order to accommodate the audience that leave the opera at about 11pm, the mayor said that he has convinced the restaurant owners on the main harbour strip to extend their serving hours and that one of the sponsors, Kanika Hotels’ Alexander the Great, is already providing special services.
Other 4- and 5-star hotels in the area that accommodate opera-goers traditionally provide an early dinner or late evening snacks, such as the Paphos Amathus, the Elyssium and the Aphrodite Hills resort.
Major sponsors such as MTN, Nemesis Constructions and the Electricity Authority of Cyprus, are also expected to help in the promotion, as will the Bank of Cyprus that traditionally offers special packages to its cardholders.
Panos Englezos, chairman of the Cyprus Tourism Organisation, said that 22 tourism offices abroad have been mobilised and are marketing the event that also helps promote Cyprus as a quality destination in general.
Already, Emirates Airlines, that operates daily flights through Larnaca to Malta and Dubai, launched a campaign in Valetta last week promoting this year’s opera as a special package for short stays in Paphos.
Emirates attracted 3,000 Maltese visitors who came to Cyprus on short breaks of three days or more in March and April and took advantage of attractive rates offered in cooperation with the Hilton Cyprus.
“Emirates has also teamed up with a major Maltese travel agent and various Cypriot hotels, producing 1400 passengers and over 5,000 room nights,” said Paul Fleri Soler, the airline’s manager for Malta and Cyprus.
He added that “Emirates embarked on a series of worldwide promotions and Cyprus has proved to be a very attractive destination among holidaymakers,” Fleri Soler added.
This news comes as music to the ears of local hoteliers, even though the recent slump in tourist arrivals has hurt Paphos district most.
Culture Capital in 2017
After acquiring a new arts centre in February, when the refurbished ‘Old Electricity’ building in Paphos donated by the EAC was inaugurated by President Christofias, the town’s authorities are now determined more than ever to proceed with plans to bid to become a European Cultural Capital in 2017.
Mayor Vergas wants to see some ambitious public projects completed by then, such as the creation of a new and modern museum, a new municipal theatre and Paphos to host the school of archaeological studies of the University of Cyprus.
Paphos will also see its university operating by 2010 within the Neapolis project, that will contribute extensively to the research and cultural scene of the town and the whole district, while, according to Vergas, the new airport terminal is already considered a contributing factor to attracting more tourists.
Also, the world-famous Paphos mosaics, listed as a UNESCO heritage site that helps attract hundreds of thousands of tourists each year, should see the start of constructions to provide protection from sunlight and rain and a permanent roof of more than 9,300 sq.m. over the whole site. Other plans include improved paths for the pedestrian tourists, better parking and facilities in a project that should cost around 10 mln euros.
However, the biggest obstacle in the town’s development is the delay to award the contract for the new marina to the consortium that included the Leptos Group, Cybarco, Francoudi & Stephanou, J&P Avax, CADS and Athina, following an appeal by another bidder, Poseidon Grand Marina of Paphos. After the Supreme Court overturned a decision by the Tenders Revision Board, all bids will have to be resubmitted, postponing the project by a further two years.
