Cyprus and Saudi Arabia will sign a memorandum of cooperation (MoU) in tourism “in the immediate future” following a teleconference this week between Deputy Minister of Tourism Costas Koumis and his Saudi counterpart princess Haifa Al Saud.

Koumis stressed the need to strengthen bilateral ties in the sector, a proposal which the Saudi side “fully agreed” with.

According to the statement, he proposed the creation of a joint technical committee, made up of officials from both countries, tasked with monitoring and implementing the provisions of the agreement.

The two sides also discussed air connectivity, an issue described as a priority. Additional technocratic-level teleconferences are expected in the coming weeks with the aim of enhancing direct flights.

This summer the two countries have been connected through services operated by Saudia airline.

Beyond connectivity, the agenda covered the exchange of know-how, the adoption of best practices, and cooperation in tourism education.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia, which has set rapid tourism development as a national goal, has already launched major initiatives.

These include the creation of a new airline called Riyadh Air, the establishment of what was presented in 2023 as the world’s largest professional tourism school, and the flagship Neom project, a city and region under construction with sustainability at its core.