ACTTA marks 70 years of driving forward Cyprus tourism

The initiatives of the Association of Cyprus Travel and Tourism Agents (ACTTA), and the actions that will contribute to the development of our tourism industry, as well as lookaheads on travel trends, were the focus of a Journalists House press conference held on March 20, 2024, to mark ACTTA’s seventh decade.

In his address, ACTTA President Harris Papacharalambous said that in celebration of the Association’s 70th anniversary, its members would participate in a number of charity activities and initiatives, such as tree planting, beach clean-ups and participation in the OPAP Limassol Marathon.

Papacharalambous also announced that the TRAVEL EXPO CYPRUS 2024 exhibition, to be held over April 19-21, would see 50+ exhibitors from more than six countries offer consumers packages at attractive prices. Part of the proceeds will be donated to charities, he added.

Other than promoting Cyprus as an attractive tourist destination, ACTTA’s objectives include the continuous information and education of its members regarding new technologies, legislation and so on, as well as the protection of their interests, with a view to providing a proper and professional service to travellers and tourists. To this end, the Association sets as a priority the fight against the illegalities that occur in the sector. At the same time, it assists in the formulation of policy and relevant legislation in Cyprus and at the European level, to promote best practices that upgrade the institutional framework.

Papacharalambous added that 2023 showed travellers returning to the safety, expertise and service offered by travel agents. Thus, the need to continue to support travel agents is imperative, given the changing conditions of the sector, he said. In turn, agents are called upon to adapt to new circumstances. Among the problems where the Association is called upon to seek solutions, is the alignment of legislation on airlines’ obligations to consumers, with corresponding obligations of tour operators, as there is a gap between them, which operators are often obliged to bridge.

Meanwhile, travel to and from Cyprus in 2024 is expected to be around the same level it was in 2023, continued the ACTTA chief, noting 2023 was a record year for outbound tourism-related travel, with popular destinations continuing to be Greece and the UK. He also referred to the boom in the cruise sector in 2023, a positive trend, which had been, unfortunately, partially reversed by Israel-Gaza geopolitical developments.

Regarding inbound tourism, Papacharalambous explained that, despite satisfactory results, there was space for improvement. He pointed out that winter tourism had yet to meet its potential, adding also that while alternative tourism sectors had made progress, there was great room for growth, provided appropriate investments in infrastructure and promotion are made.

At the same time, he explained, tourism is an extremely important industry for the Cypriot economy and its success in a competitive global market is not a given; it must be upgraded continuously and purposefully.

ACTTA’s chief referred to needful further investment in infrastructure and funds for the promotion of the island’s tourism product, as well as finding solutions to the challenges and weaknesses of the sector. He added that the targeted development of markets and alternative forms of tourism would be a response to the sector’s years-long struggle to diversify.

Vice President for Airline Affairs and Airports Panos Charalambous and Vice President for Outbound Tourism Christos Christou also addressed the press conference.