Tourism exhibition opens as outbound travel nears record levels
Source: in-cyprus.com
The 26th International Tourism Exhibition opens in Nicosia on Friday with participants from seven countries, as Cypriots’ outbound travel numbers trend upward with forecasts pointing to a new record in 2025.
The three-day event will be held at the State Exhibition grounds in Nicosia from Friday to Sunday, bringing together tour operators, airlines, hotels and government tourism officials.
“The exhibition is a first-class opportunity for consumers to learn not only about destinations and packages but also to seize promotional offers that are always available during the exhibition,” said Haris Papacharalambous, President of the Association of Cyprus Tourist and Travel Agents (ACTTA), at a press conference in Nicosia.
Visitors can explore travel packages to destinations including Greece, Scandinavia, Italy, France, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, Germany, Slovakia, Asian countries like Thailand and Japan, and the United States. India and Poland will also be represented with their own national delegations.
The exhibition will open from 16:00 to 22:00 on Friday and Saturday, and from 15:00 to 21:00 on Sunday.
Papacharalambous emphasised the importance of supporting licensed travel organisers, noting concerns about unauthorised operators creating travel packages.
“There are cases where non-professionals and unlicensed individuals create foreign excursion packages, and we’re looking at how we can stop this because it’s related to consumer protection,” he said.
Annita Demetriades, Tourism Director at the Deputy Ministry of Tourism, described the exhibition as “an institution for consumer information,” highlighting that 2024 has been particularly positive for Cyprus tourism, with arrivals exceeding 4 million and revenues surpassing €3 billion, up 7.3% compared to 2023.
“What’s significant is that we’ve achieved an increase in arrivals outside the peak season and in the development of special products through authentic experiences,” she added.
Cypriots made 1.85 million trips abroad in 2024, up from 1.7 million in 2023, with early indicators suggesting the figure could approach 2 million in 2025, according to Papacharalambous. He noted that price increases have not exceeded normal inflationary trends.
When asked about potential impacts of geopolitical instability on tourism, Papacharalambous said incoming tourism remains largely unaffected “unless something very immediate happens,” adding that “people have developed antibodies” to such concerns.
Regarding water scarcity issues affecting tourism, he stressed the need for a long-term plan to reduce dependence on weather conditions.
The Deputy Ministry of Tourism and the Cyprus Agrotourism Company will also maintain their own pavilions, offering information about domestic tourism options in both coastal areas and inland regions.
(information from CNA)
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