Deputy Minister calls for quality training in tourism

The appreciation that the tourism sector should be enriched with foreign workers, taking into account the increasing tourist arrivals in Cyprus, which requires additional hands in the sector, was expressed today by Deputy Minister of Tourism Kostas Koumi.

After touring the Protaras and Ayia Napa areas, Koumi said: “The results so far for tourism indicate an upward trend. The quarterly results show an increase of more than 5% compared to the previous year, despite the fact that we also received more visitors in the tourist resort of Protaras.”

He added: “We have upgrades on the beaches and the services offered have been renewed, something we welcome as the Ministry of Tourism.”

Asked about the issue of the presence of third-country workers in tourism companies, Koumi replied: “It would certainly be preferable to have our compatriots in every position in the tourism sector. However, we cannot do without foreign workers, and the figures show this.”

Tourism in our country, he explained, “showed an increase from just over 4 million arrivals in 2016 to almost four million in 2023. All these increasing arrivals require additional hands in the industry. We are a country with a limited population, so it is necessary to enrich the tourism sector with foreign workers.”

“What matters,” the State Secretary continued, “is that these people are properly trained before they enter the industry or during their work, so that the quality of hospitality does not deteriorate. We are now focusing on the field of training, but also on the field of education in relation to the development of tourism education. That is why we embrace institutions such as the student competition ‘Pausanias the Traveler 2024’.”

“For me,” said Koumi, “it is very important that the new generation of our country understands which sectors contribute to the economy, what sensitivities characterize these sectors, and to receive the right messages.”

In another question, Koumi replied: “The Ministry of Tourism is working tirelessly to make it another successful tourism year. In addition, we emphasize on upgrading the tourism product offered.”

As he explained: “We are looking to take advantage of every opportunity that comes from the Recovery and Resilience Fund. We have announced some stimulus plans in specific geographical areas of Cyprus, areas that will of course allow us to continue with procurement under the Fund. What we expect is that these specific plans will be used by local authorities to continuously improve the tourism product.”

As the Deputy Minister of Tourism said: “It is very important that everyone realizes that increasing competitiveness is imperative, increasing the attractiveness of destinations. If we want to have better days in tourism, we must all work together so that the competitiveness of the services offered increases.”

When asked about adventure tourism, Koumi said: “This is a special form of tourism that is experiencing an upward trend worldwide, and we, as the Ministry of Tourism, are trying to take advantage of this upward trend. This could be done in the Cape Greco area where there is a specific height, but it may not be feasible in that specific area,” he concluded.