Cyprus hoteliers association wants to foster hospitality culture

The Cyprus Hoteliers Association (Pasyxe), led by President Thanos Michaelides and General Director Philokypros Rousounides, held discussions with the Greek Minister of Tourism, Olga Kefalogianni, and representatives of the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels during a recent visit to Athens.

According to a statement released this week by Pasyxe, the association convened on September 15, 2023, in Athens, where they engaged in a dialogue with the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels president Alexandros Vasilikos and members of the board of directors.

The association noted that discussions centred on critical issues affecting the tourism sector in both Greece and Cyprus.

As part of the visit to Athens, representatives of Pasyxe also met with the aforementioned Greek Minister of Tourism Olga Kefalogianni.

During this meeting, they exchanged views on common challenges facing the tourism industry and the shared goals that can be achieved.

Moreover, proposals for potential joint actions aimed at promoting sustainability and eco-friendliness in the development of the tourism product were put forward.

The announcement further noted that, during the meeting with the Greek hotel chamber, a handover ceremony took place, with the chamber president and HOTREC (Hotels, Restaurants & Cafés in Europe) representatives delivering materials from the “My Hospitality” Educational Programme.

This programme is taught to second and third-grade students in Greek primary schools and was designed in collaboration with the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels. Starting this year, the announcement explained, it is included in the curriculum of Greek classrooms.

The primary objective of the programme is to introduce students to the concepts of hospitality, entrepreneurship, acceptance, inclusivity, innovative and environmentally-friendly business development in the hospitality sector, as well as provide them with initial insights into hospitality professions and career opportunities.

Pasyxe said that it aims to present this programme to the Cypriot Minister of Education and the Deputy Minister of Tourism for possible adoption in Cyprus’ primary schools.

The ultimate goal is to lay the foundations for sustainable tourism development, broaden the horizons and opportunities available to the younger generation, and familiarise them with the concept of hospitality.