A total of 80 football teams have travelled to Cyprus as part of their mid-season training camps, Tourism Deputy Minister Costas Koumis said on Thursday.

He said it is “nothing new” for football teams to travel to Cyprus during winter and added, “our desire is to see this develop rapidly in our country as well.”

To this end, he said, his deputy ministry has made “a series of moves in an effort to organise sports conferences in our country and other sporting events.

“We consider that our country offers itself to these events,” he said, adding that he welcomes upgrades to Cypriot infrastructure which have made the island more appealing.

He added that his deputy ministry has “proceeded with a series of changes in the incentives we offer and I believe they have become more attractive, especially for travel agents which are looking for such opportunities, with all the benefits which arise for our country.

“We are happy that this year international teams have chosen our country, such as the national teams of Sweden and Estonia,” he added.