Cyprus presented with international airline 'Destination Award'

The 'Destination Award' was presented to Cyprus during the Routes World Airline Conference held between 6 and 8 October in Bahrain, the Deputy Ministry of Tourism has revealed.

According to an 8 October statement, the Routes World conference has been held annually since 1995 and hosts senior executives from the global route development community, including leading airlines, airport companies and other aviation stakeholders from around the world.

It is noted that this year's conference was attended by over 230 leading airlines around the world and more than 680 companies operating in the aviation sector, with the Routes Awards being presented in recognition of the achievements of tourism authorities, business entities and individuals in relation to their performance in tourism and in particular air connectivity.

It is added that the Deputy Ministry of Tourism, representing Cyprus, participated in the 'Tourism Authorities' category and received the 'Destination Award' for its actions in promoting Cyprus and its significant contribution to the further development of its network, while the Philippines (Department of Tourism), Japan (Japan National Tourism Organization), Spain (Promotur - Canary Islands Tourist Board) and Malta (Visit Malta) had also qualified for the final stage of the category, with Cyprus emerging as the winner through the votes of the delegates.

According to the Deputy Ministry, this is the first time that the country has received this distinction, acknowledging "the continuous and intense efforts by the Government and the Deputy Ministry of Tourism for the international recognition of Cyprus as a tourist destination, but also by the entire tourism industry".

In a statement, Deputy Minister of Tourism Kostas Koumis said that the awarding of Cyprus with the 'Destination Award' is a great success for Cyprus and an indication of the recognition that the country enjoys internationally, adding that international distinctions in the tourism sector are always important, as they add prestige, recognition and dynamics to the destination.

"The award for Cyprus as a destination is a success for the country and all those involved in the tourism ecosystem of our country deserve congratulations. As a Government we have aimed from the very beginning to rapidly return to the high performance of the past, and both the performance and the international recognition as a destination is satisfying. We look forward to the next day, fully aware that the challenges in the tourism sector are multiple and ongoing," he concluded.

(Source: CNA)