Cyprus Tourism Organisation will be using its appearance at Arabian Travel Market to announce that it is now easier and cheaper to visit the island with visas available in just two to three days through its embassy in Abu Dhabi.
Last year’s arrivals from the Middle East grew, despite the global economic downturn, from 49,621 in 2008 to 53,507 and the trend is continuing with arrivals already up in the first two months of this year to 4,514 compared to 4,017 last year.
Vassilis Theocharides director of Cyprus Tourism Organisation Middle East and Arabian Gulf office said arrivals are expected to grow five per cent this year at a conservative estimate with most Middle Eastern visitors coming from Lebanon, the UAE, Egypt, Jordan, Iran and other GCC countries.
He added: “Cyprus offers a short break, temperate climate, fantastic beaches and endless interest for history buffs, mountain aficionados and incentive organisers. All visitors are unique but what we know is that the beach and the mountains are the main attraction from the Middle East region.”
At ATM the island will have a strong delegation of 10 exhibitors from the private sector and five from the public sector including the Minister of Tourism Antonis Paschalides.
And they will be promoting the destinations beaches, culture, history and leisure facilities and the impressive Mice offering as well as making visitors aware of the visa process.
Theocharides said: “ATM is very important for our office and we have been supporting the exhibition since it started in the region.”