Cyprus Tourist office shake up

THE CYPRUS Tourism Organisation (CTO) is planning to close, merge and reorganise offices abroad so as to reinforce efforts to promote Cyprus as a popular tourist destination.

“The time has come for a big reorganisation of the offices, to see which ones we can possibly shut down, where new ones can open,” said Commerce Minister Neoclis Sylikiotis, after meeting with the CTO yesterday and being presented with the initial findings of a study into the matter.

Sylikiotis said tourism was intensely competitive and demanded new measures, including an investigation into the possibility of attracting new markets.

There are currently 23 CTO offices abroad, costing over €7.7 million, while just €1.8 million is spent on projecting Cyprus as a tourist destination abroad.

“It is time to take measures,” said Sylikiotis. “The (CTO) Board of Directors has done a very good job with this study and I am certain they will move ahead with measures.”

But he added that radical changes could not be expected straight away.

Sylikiotis said he was pleased to see the CTO was willing to make immediate changes to improve its functionality.

CTO chairman Alekos Oroundiotis said the organisation’s overseas offices had done a good job over the past years, but it was time to reorganise them to improve their efficiency.

He said there was a time when the offices were just places where locals could get information. However, he added that the tourism market had changed, due to the internet, low budget travel agents and restricted budgets.

“All this composes a new state of affairs for the foreign offices’ operation, which is why the CTO – with the minister’s support – has started this procedure, this study, and very soon, we will be in a position to announce the results of this study, but also any decisions that will be made on the matter,” said Oroundiotis.

But he said the CTO was not yet in a position to offer specific details and numbers.

“Some offices will be merged, others will shut down and maybe some new ones will open in other markets that we are interested in; or even certain other offices in markets we are especially interested in will be reinforced,” said Oroundiotis.

He said there were around 70 to 75 people currently employed in offices abroad, for whom the organisation was making arrangements.

Asked if these efforts would lead to redundancies, Oroundiotis said there may possibly be transfers and/or retirements, all of which would be clarified once the CTO study is complete.

Meanwhile, Sylikiotis yesterday said there had been a 14.5 per cent increase in tourism revenue in June, compared to the same time last year, while arrivals had also increased.

According to the minister, there was a 2.8 per cent increase in arrivals for the first half of 2012, compared to the corresponding period last year.

He said this was encouraging, as the year had started off with some worrying trends.

“Efforts were made to maintain arrivals at the same levels as last year, when significant increases were registered in the range of 10 per cent in arrivals and 13 per cent in revenue, compared to 2010,” said Sylikiotis.

He said numbers from the UK had exceeded lower expectations for 2012, while there was an increase in arrivals from certain European countries. There has also been a massive increase in Russian tourists.

“The year is expected to close on a positive note,” said Sylikiotis. 

Cyprus Mail