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Deputy Minister for Tourism predicts 'a battle' to attract tourists in 2021

13/11/2020 09:15

Savvas Perdios, Deputy Minister for Tourism, said he forecasts “a battle” for tourism in 2021 as more people will be willing to travel to tourist destinations, following a devastating season for tourism this year due to the disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

He also said that Cyprus should not only rely on good marketing but also on improving its tourist product if it wants to restore tourist arrivals at the 2019 levels.

Following years of records in tourist arrivals, Cyprus saw its tourist sector devastated due to the coronavirus pandemic and the associated travel bans, with arrivals plunging by an annual 84% for the period of January to September.

There will be battle by the countries willing to attract tourists in 2021 as more people will be willing to travel, Perdios said presenting the Deputy Ministry’s budget for 2021 to the parliamentary committee of Finance and Budgetary Affairs.

He said the Deputy Ministry’s budget provides for €45 million expenditure compared with €52 million in 2020, noting that funds earmarked for the upgrading of Cyprus’ tourist product from 8% of the total budget in 2020 doubles to 16% in 2021 “which means we need to see not only promotion but also the upgrading of (the tourist) product.”

As he noted in the positive scenario a vaccine is available or in case of other positive developments in 2021,” the Ministry will need to move rapidly with an advertising campaign in the first months of 2021.”

“We had a two-million budget for marking for all 2021 and if things are better, advertising will take place in just six months,” Perdios added.

Perdios also noted that the Ministry has expedited some actions in 2021 and 2022 instead of 2023 and 2024 so that Cyprus would benefit when the tourism sector recovers in the period of 2023 – 2024.