MMedsolution – Medical Dental Tourism Resource On-line

ONE STAND in the European section of the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) held in Dubai this month stood out.

It was none other than that of Cyprus, with its bright orange colours, the CTO’s new “Love Cyprus” logo and TV screens with films promoting the island. Only a few stands further, a huge colourful painted mural depicting life on the island attracted visitors’ attention. That was part of Outbound Travel’s effort to draw interest.

Cyprus has been participating in the ATM since it began 14 years ago, but has now decided to put more emphasis on attracting high-spending tourists from the Arab region, a youthful and promising market. It is aiming to receive some 10,000 travellers only from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) this year.

“We hope our participation will increase the flow of tourists from the UAE and the Middle East,” Commerce, Tourism and Industry Minister Antonis Michaelides, here for the opening, told the Sunday Mail.

“It is vital for us to participate in important events like the ATM, one of the best of its kind. Both the Ministry and the CTO are giving particular attention to the region, as part of our revised tourism strategy,” he said, expressing satisfaction with Cyprus’ stand and the work done by the CTO office in Dubai.

He told a news conference before the ATM’s opening that Cyprus was attaching importance to attracting medical tourism, and that medical professionals were showing an interest in developing the field. Michaelides said the government was keen on inviting foreigners to invest in infrastructure and tourism enterprises, including marinas.

“There are huge prospects in the Middle East and the Gulf Co-operation Countries,” CTO Director, Phoebe Katsouri, also in Dubai for the event, told the Sunday Mail. “Since the CTO office opened in Dubai, in 2005, we have had a steady increase in tourist flow from the region.”

According to the tourism board’s figures, nearly 50,000 tourists from the Middle East and the Gulf visited the island in 2006, with the leading country being Lebanon, followed by the UAE.

“Arrivals in 2006 from the UAE showed an impressive 23 per cent increase over 2005 and 30 per cent increase over 2004,” said CTO Chairman Panos Englezos. He appeared optimistic that this year would be better on the whole, with UAE arrivals expected to increase by seven per cent.

An extra boost is expected to be given by the agreement reached with Emirates to begin daily flights to Cyprus, instead of the five it has today, as well as the Jazeera Airlines flights, the first low-cost company from the region flying to Cyprus, announced this week in Nicosia.

“ We had a number of meetings in Dubai and everyone was positive and optimistic,” Katsouri said.

According to CTO Dubai director, Vassilis Theocharides, “by marketing outside Europe we are answering demands to the change in the tourism market, which is now becoming global.

“ Cyprus is an alternative to Arab destinations in the Middle East, such as Lebanon and Egypt.” he said.

Theocharides, in charge of the region, added emphasis was being given to UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Lebanon.

The exhibitors

THE ATM is an opportunity for players in the travel and tourism industry not only to find out what’s new, but to network, exchange information and reach deals. It is the leading platform for Cyprus to approach the Arab market.

Philippos Philippou, of Larnaca-based Korona Tourist and Travel, has been to

a number of travel markets but was at the four-day ATM for the first time. He met over 100 tourist agents from countries like Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the UAE in the first three days and hopes to do work with at least five.

“This is a new market for us and we should be careful. I think travel agents here need to be more informed on how to sell Cyprus, while on our part we must work towards improving services, especially in hotels” he says, expressing satisfaction both with the event itself and the CTO staff here.

Philippou believes Cyprus has much to offer the Arab tourist, even though its product could be enriched with closed aqua parks for the winter season, for example.

On her part, Christina Kleanthous, sales manager of the luxurious Aphrodite Hills Resort, describes the Arab and the Russian markets as the “cr?me-de-la-cr?me” niche markets.

Between herself and her colleague from the Intercontinental Hotels that manages Aphrodite Hills, they met with some 50 major tourist agents from Dubai and the UAE in general, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Lebanon and Qatar.

At the ATM for the second time, she says it has been more productive and expects increased interest for conference and incentive tourism.

The Turkish Cypriots were also present at the ATM, in a separate small stand close to the huge Turkish section.

“I have been to other markets, but this is my first time at the ATM and I am very satisfied,” owner of Kyrenia-based Side Tour and Tourism Travel Agency, Halil Tahir, told the Sunday Mail. He said the little business he does is with small German and Turkish groups.

Tahir believes one option that may help increase business in the occupied north is the use of Larnaca airport for groups that could stay in both sides.

An emerging tourism market

The ATM, the Middle East’s premier travel and tourism show, manages to break its participation records every year. Over 2,600 exhibitors from 64 countries were present this year, along with 61 official government bodies.

“The exhibition is definitely going to continue on a growth pattern and although it is difficult to say exactly what the growth will be, it could well double in size by 2012,” said HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President Department of Civil Aviation, Government of Dubai and Chairman of the Emirates Group, at the opening.

During his nearly two hour-long tour of the show, Sheikh Ahmed also stopped at the Cyprus stand, where he was welcomed by Michaelides.

The ATM receives high media coverage, with some one thousand media present last year, nearly a third from overseas. Its media relations has a “Cyprus link” – it is run by MCS/Action, part of Cyprus-based Action Global Communications.

Tourism report outlines challenges

ECONOMIC, demographic, social and environmental sustainability have to be considered by the Middle East’s tourism players when formulating long-term industry policy, according to a study carried out by Global Futures and Foresight (GFF), an international strategic futures think-tank. The ‘Vision to 2020’ report on 13 countries, is sponsored by ATM organiser, Reed Travel Exhibitions, and can be used as a reference by Cypriot tourism industry players.

It outlines the main challenges and opportunities ahead, including the need to identify market segments interested in its luxury attractions, flexibility so that demand doesn’t lag behind supply, possible effects from a climate disaster or disease outbreak and even the impact of water availability. Achieving collaboration with other destinations and creating a hassle-free traveller experience, should also be considered, according to the report.

The report is the first of three in-depth studies on the Middle East’s travel and tourism industry in the next 13 years, covering Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Jordan Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, the UAE and Yemen.

David Smith, GFF Joint Chief Executive and report co-author, said the region has already created original developments but the international character of many others could place them in any city, from Stockholm or San Francisco to Dubai.

“The Middle East now faces the challenge to drive the next wave of innovation that emphasises, celebrates and promotes the region’s cultures, heritage and tradition.”

The region’s travel and tourism prospects will also be influenced by global political, economic, social, demographic, technological and environmental factors and trends, according to the blueprint. An economic power shift is expected, that will open up new target markets for both inbound and outbound visitors and investors, while the growth and ageing of the global population will impact the level of disposable income.

Rising wealth levels, particularly in Asia, means the Middle East’s players will need to decide which sectors of the market they target.

Other key trends include increasing demand for health tourism, sensitivity towards environment protection, an estimated creation of 1.5 million new jobs in the next decade, the amplified role of Information Communication Technology and aviation breakthroughs.

The report also says a concerted effort will need to be made to address security as the Middle East suffers from a “collective identity” in a way that other regions don’t.

As for competition, it warns that a number of new travel alternatives will emerge, while the world economic map will look different by 2020, with countries such as Pakistan, Indonesia and Nigeria having the potential to be amongst the 20 largest by 2050.

The Island of Cyprus: Tourism in the Spring

 

Mmedsolution

Morgellons Disease Photos 

 

www.mmedsolution.com