Cyprus can become a major transportation centre

Cyprus Tourism Organization Chairman Alekos Orountiotis has stressed that tourism negative trend has been reversed, adding that Cyprus can become a major transportation centre in our region.

Speaking at a press conference in the context of celebrations for the World Tourism Day, Orountiotis said that “the negative climate in tourism has eventually been reversed, with the arrivals to record, abeit marginally, a positive up trend until August and revenues amounting to +1.4% compared to last year in July”.

''With the exception of April – which caused a severe decrease of 23% due to the volcanic ash and its domino effects across Europe – from March we have had a positive picture, with increases in arrivals of 14.8% in March, 4.7% in May, 5.5% in June, 0.7% in July and 4.3% in August,'' he said.

The economic crisis, he added, ''has affected our major markets, including that of UK, where we had a reduction of 5.8%.''

''However, other markets showed significant increases, mainly Russia with a spectacular increase of 50%'' he said.

He went on to say that “the general message I can send is that of cautious optimism, something that makes us intensify our efforts in the difficult period ahead,'' he added.

With regard to the issue of accessibility of Cyprus, CTO Chairman said that they have sought to increase the number, frequency and options for air connections to Cyprus from the markets of interest, with reasonable fares, and they have finally succeeded in bringing to the island very important low-cost airlines.

For example, he referred to the arrival of Ryanair in Cyprus, the expansion of flight schedules of Jet2, Easyjet, Emirates, Etihad, Air Berlin and Viking.

''We are convinced that there are prospects for Cyprus to be a major transportation centre for our region,'' he concluded.