Larnaca to boost tourism sector through EU projects

The Larnaca tourism board (Etap) on Thursday said it will implement and promote seven EU projects that aim to improve the Larnaca experience for all visitors.

The first two projects will focus on boosting small and medium enterprises in the area by offering training courses on digital marketing to people working in the tourism sector and by providing classes on new health and safety protocols following the disruption of the industry due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Participants of the latter will also receive a certificate of attendance at the end of the course confirming their knowledge regarding health protocols and guidelines.

The third project, called “Time4AlternativeCreativity in remote space (TIME4AC)” aims to promote Larnaca’s cultural heritage through digital tools, while increasing its accessibility to people with sensory impairments and disabilities.

Within the framework of TIME4AC, Etap hopes to introduce workshops and special classes in several of the town’s museums and exhibitions.

Sustainable tourism is the main goal of the fourth project, through which the Etap will offer incentives to university students focused on learning more about cultural heritage management.

It will also offer an e-learning platform and training courses for interested students to help prepare them for a career in the tourism sector in Cyprus.

Another project, called “Go for VET in Erasmus” starting in March 2023, aims to prepare model agreements for Vocational Education and Training (VET) in four different sectors including the hotel industry.

The agreements will be drafted based on specific international practices and following discussions with experts and employers who have hosted VET students and will include provisions for people with disabilities.

The final project, dubbed “Rural Women’s Clubs – Locally Active in Traditions and Tourism” hopes to increase the gender diversity within the tourism sector and to enable more effective educational activities for local communities as well as promoting local products and arts in rural areas.