Deputy minister in further hot water over upsetting Jet2

Deputy Tourism Minister Costas Koumis was in hot water again on Wednesday after it surfaced that he caused the CEO of a leading travel company bringing tourists to Cyprus to walk out on a meeting with him.

Koumis, who had attended the ITB in Berlin two months ago, caused a stir with his inattentiveness at a meeting with Jet2 resulting in CEO Steve Heapy abruptly leaving the meeting.

According to information, Koumis was constantly checking his phone during the meeting and seemed to be more interested in the photo ops, instead of connecting with the CEO.

This behaviour resulted in Heapy walking out of the meeting.

Meetings of this magnitude are considered important for Cyprus, as they can lead to further expanding relations with tour operators bringing people to the country.

According to the company, this year they will be celebrating 15 years on the Cypriot market, and for summer 2023 they are planning over 60 weekly flights to Paphos and Larnaca airports.

Heapy had said in March, announcing the summer routes: “Today, we operate an enormous programme with unrivalled frequency to Paphos and Larnaca from the UK, and we have flown millions of customers to this magnificent country. Such growth and success over the last decade and a half would not be possible without the fantastic partnerships we have in Cyprus, and I would like to say a heartfelt thank you to hoteliers, airports, tourist boards and all our partners. As we continue to grow and take more customers to Paphos and Larnaca on our award-winning flights and holidays, we will continue to put that partnership approach at the very heart of everything that we do and bring even more happy holidaymakers to Cyprus.”

The news comes as the minister was caught in an uproar earlier this week over his appointment of a 19-year-old to an advisory role at the ministry.

On Tuesday, Koumis clarified the teenager was to have been hired as his communications consultant.

He said that following the noise generated over the affair, the 19-year-old herself contacted the ministry and said she did not wish to work there.

“Many [verbal] attacks have been made against her, as well as against myself and my family. They should let us do our work. I don’t know if I will hire anybody now, because whoever did get hired would end up in the crosshairs,” he added.

On Monday, the planned employment of the teen quickly became a series of memes on social media, while opposition parties piled on.

At the time, President Nikos Christodoulides said: “Nothing will be done outside the framework of legality.”

The appointment is “manifestly illegal and wrongful”, the audit office said, urging Koumis to not implement the planned appointment.

According to reports, the 19-year-old actively supported Christodoulides during his presidential election campaign while it became known that they are both from Paphos. A photo of the two of them standing side by side where Christodoulides has her arm around her has also been circulating.