The President of the Association of Travel Agents (ACTA) Dinos Kakkouras expects increased arrivals in tourism this year and better results in the tourist industry.
Speaking to CNA, Kakkouras said prospects for 2016 seem to be quite good for several reasons, noting at the same time that 2015 was a very good year for the island`s main industry.
Firstly, he explained, there is an upward trend in tourism which is expected to continue.
“England, Germany, Austria have a dynamic presence in terms of tourism here and that is expected to be boosted in 2016 “, he added.
He noted that several airlines are planning to increase their flights to and from Cyprus, something which will undoubtedly have a positive impact on incoming tourism.
The first license has already been approved for a Cypriot company, TUS, and there are other companies that may get approval to operate as Cypriot companies, he added.
Generally, he said, there is a worldwide trend showing, according to statistics, a steady increase in tourism globally that affects Europe, the Mediterranean and Cyprus.
“Tourist arrivals will increase in 2016. The rate of increase depends on many things. We are not alone in the game of tourism, there are competitive countries such as Tunisia, Turkey and Egypt,” he noted. Cyprus, he pointed out, is considered a safe destination and this is a key factor for peopole in choosing a destination.
Answering a question, he said that it appears that “things will be better with the Russian market this year because the problems between Turkey and Russia will have a positive fallout on Cyprus. A lot of Russian tour operators are interested in the Cypriot market, he said.
Asked what else remains to be done in the tourist industry, Kakkouras replied: “we believe that a lot has be done, although we must do more. We must rely on our own strength”.
