New ACTA President Papacharalambous reveals his priorities

The next tourist season is auspicious, and if everything goes well without global upheavals, 2024 promises a lot for tourism. However, the industry continues to be plagued by poor accuracy and understaffing.

Within his new capacity as President of the Association of Cyprus Travel Agents (ACTA), Charis Papacharalambous recently talked to InBusinessNews about how the tourist season has been defined and also about what needs to be implemented to further develop the sector.

In this context, he referred to the priorities he has set out as president of the Association, both for the benefit of professionals in the sector and for the benefit of the tourism industry of our country as a whole.

"Our priorities are first and foremost to protect the well-meaning interests of our members. The best way to do this is to empower and develop the industry in a proper and organised manner," he said.

The largest part of the Cypriot tourism industry is made up of those who arrive on the island, that is, inbound tourism Papacharalambous noted while identifying decades-old issues that he believes need to be addressed immediately.

"Regarding incoming tourism, some reforms must be made, there are chronic problems and weaknesses we have, such as seasonality, lack of staff and the increase in costs," Papacharalambous emphasised.

In order to solve the above, but also to update the priorities of ACTA, competent Ministries and other bodies are in constant contact. "In any case, we are in regular contact with the responsible Deputy Minister, so from the facts this effort will continue. As with other tourism agencies," he pointed out.

Positive signs, but…

At the dawn of 2024, there is subdued optimism about how the new year will shape tourism, both in terms of inbound tourism and travel in general.

As Papacharalambous explains, "In terms of outbound tourism, Cypriots are travelling. I have a feeling it's going to be a record year for travel. The destinations themselves are the traditional ones. We don't change our preferences easily. There are also some new destinations that have direct flights."

While, according the all indications, the performance of tourism in 2023 is highly satisfactory and the estimates for 2024 are equally positive, there are a number of factors keeping reflection on the next day of the industry in suspense.

“There is moderate optimism for 2024 as rising costs and staffing issues concern us. Because in terms of value for money, as the cost increases, the quality we offer is also negatively affected," Papacharalambous notes.

The new President of ACTA also sends out his own message saying that "it is time in tourism as well, in addition to the development of industries and markets and other types of tourism beyond the sun and sea, to make some differences and intersections in terms of the legal background, in order to we are more flexible. Some things are not consistent with today's data."

The existing legal framework is considered to be out of step with the modern demands of tourism, resulting in the accumulation of several problems. "Hence the fact that there is difficulty in attracting staff, shortages in hiring tour guides, as well as in the transport sector, where the driver is obliged to speak Greek”, Papacharalambous concluded.

(Source: InBusinessNews)