2020 Cyprus Country Report

Tourism
Sector Profile
not just to the above-mentioned existing and
growing markets, but also to new markets such
as India and the Far East. The growing appeal
of tying the knot in Cyprus is largely due to the
availability of civil marriages, making it an attractive
wedding venue for mixed-faith and secular
couples. Cyprus is also looking at opening new
inroads into the billion-dollar global market of
honeymoon tourism, renewal of vows, celebrations,
romantic and special events.
Capitalising on its ideal climate and clean
waters, health and wellbeing holidays to Cyprus
are also on the rise. The recent creation of several
exclusive spa retreats to pamper the visitor, as
well as a number of large-scale projects open
for investment in the fields of rehabilitation and
other wellness services, have all driven interest in
this niche areas. The wellness segment has been
identified as one of the key growth areas and FDI
targets by the government. These plans are perfectly
aligned with global trends, as the wellness
market has seen tremendous growth of over 6%
annually. Medical tourism is also experiencing
some growth due to Cyprus’ world-class reputation
for high-quality private healthcare in a technologically
advanced environment. Cosmetic
surgery, diagnostic tests and fertility treatment
top the list as the most popular procedures for
medical tourists from the UK, Germany, the
Netherlands, Middle East and Russia.
EXPANDING CONNECTIVITY
With continuous efforts to open new markets,
connectivity is a key aspect of ensuring growth
in this sector. In the long-term and in a bid to
decrease its dependency on a handful of traditional
markets, like the UK, Russia and Germany,
Cyprus is focused on diversifying and opening
new markets, such as the Middle East and
other central and northern European countries.
Another target is to attract visitors from long-distance
destinations such as the US, Canada, Korea,
Japan and China, who are likely to travel in the
wider region visiting more than one country
during their holiday.
Over 80 airlines fly from Cyprus to around 40
countries and 120 destinations, and the two international
airports handle around 11 million passengers
annually. Cyprus has managed to improve
its connectivity to the rest of Europe even amidst
the corona crisis with Hungary’s Wizz Air announcing
its plans to make Larnaca its 28th base
from July 2020 and to launch 11 new destinations
to seven European countries from Larnaca.
Stationing two Airbus A320 aircraft will provide
one million seats on sale from Larnaca this year,
underlining the fact that the airline sees the potential
and the demand for low-cost travel in
Cyprus as a rapidly developing tourist destination.
IDEAL PORT OF CALL & HOMEPORTING HUB
Prior to the pandemic, Cyprus was gaining a
steady momentum in reviving its status as an attractive
port of call for cruise ships exploring the
Eastern Mediterranean region. Evidence of this
was the fact that cruise line companies have been
increasing the capacity and frequency of their calls
to the island and Cyprus has regained its position
in their East Med itinerary planning. Moreover,
a British operator TUI (Marella Cruises) has im-
Visiting
Cyprus during
Corona
To facilitate travel
arrangements to Cyprus
and to ensure all necessary
information required by
the health authorities are
submitted, the Cyprus
government has created a
constantly updated online
portal where you can
complete all the necessary
formalities in a quick and
easy way and receive your
authorisation to fly. For
more information and to
plan your journey visit
www.cyprusflightpass.gov.cy
140 Country Report CYPRUS 2020