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Introduction

The culture of the island is the most important treasure of the citizens of Cyprus. Cyprus is the third bigger island in Mediterranean Sea and located of east of the sea. It is a cross -road of 3 continents. For that reason Cyprus in the previous centuries was the most wanted island for any wars strategy or trade station for products of Europe ,Asia and Africa. The prehistorically age from 8200-1050BC Cyprus has irrefutable evidence of human civilization. Then the Mycenaean Greek (3500BC)had introduced the Greek civilization and from then Cyprus had been Greek origin. On the next years has be conquered several times by many empires as Phoenicians, Assyrians, Egyptians and Persians ,Franks, Venetians, Ottomans and last British’s and all leaving behind evident traces of their way.

Historical facts of the tourism in Cyprus

At the time when Tomas Cook offered trip to Egypt and other country of east Europe and other European countries developing the tourism industry.(Tourism a modern synthesis,2006), Cyprus was under Othman empire (1573-1878).From 1878-1959 the United Kingdom took over the government in that years British tried to educate the Cypriot citizen and sent a majority of students to England for more advance education. In 1960 Cyprus gains independence after Greek and Turkish communities reach agreement on a constitution. Treaty of Guarantee gives Britain, Greece and Turkey the right to intervene. Britain retains sovereignty over two military bases. The tourism in Cyprus started to develop on early sixies. But Turkish invasion affected seriously the economy of the island, which was threatened with complete collapse, and they deprived the economy of Cyprus as of most important resources: 70% of wealth-producing resources, 65% of hotels and tourist lodgings ,46% of industrial production and 56% of minerals. They loss International Airport Nicosia and Harbor of Famagustas , which it handled 83% of total distribution of merchandises. The government was looking for fast controlling reconstruction on the rest of the island and the tourists would be the fastest way to become respectful economy again. Cyprus government established the Cyprus Tourism Organization (CTO) a semi-government organization(1969) with the prospect to reorganize and to put Cyprus again on the map of tourism destinations. Cyprus with CTO stands again up after the distribution of the reconstructive all over the island with main cities Limmasol and Agia Napa. From that period the tourism became the main supporting resources and is keep the economy of the island until nowadays. CT Organization’s objective according to the law is to organize and promote Tourism within the Republic by using all possibilities and resources available. The CTO is administrated by a nine-member Board of Directors and consists of the Director – General’s Office and four Departments: Administration, Marketing ,Quality ,Assurance, Strategy( Cyprus Tourism Organisation (CTO) law,2010)

Population

The citizens of Cyprus are known as Cypriot, who are grouped in three different ethnic groups: Greek-Cypriots (77%), Turkish-Cypriots(18%) Maroniten and Armenian (5%) . An estimate of July 2009 found that the population of Cyprus lies around 796,740. The langage that the resident speaks are Greek, Turkish, English (Index Mundi,2009) Moreover approximately 600.000 Greek-Cypriots or people of Greek- Cypriot origin live overseas.

Economy

After the turkish invasion on 1974 cyprus was one of the most poor country.But after 1980 the economy growth with tourism,real estate, agriculture and other inovation businness and the Urbanization started.(‘’Cyprusnet’’,2010 ) Nowadays Cyprus is in the countries with a high income per person according to World Bank. Moreover economic forecast for EU shows that the GDP rise 0.7% in 2010 .As well it ranks one of the best coutries on business field according the 2009 Travel and tourism competitiveness report.(‘’Mintel’’,2009) Tourism has been the top growth part in the economy of Cyprus since 1980.Today tourism industry involved 22.9% of the resident and is 87,000 jobs, 1 over 4.4 jobs, the government expenditure on Tourism are 288€ million for 2009,the capital investment it is 662€ milion and the personal for residents and tourist on the field is 1571.5€, million. Source: UNWTO; Republic of Cyprus, Statistical Service)

But after 2004 tourist number are falling more and more. The forcast for 2010 said that the tourism related GDP will fall by 5.7%. The reason that happening this situation is because of influencing tourist some factors on Cyprus. That factors are economy and political that we going to analyses on the next steps of the report.(Mintel,2009)

Tourism and Demand

International

The main markets of the tourism in Cyprus coming from Europe (world trade organization ,2003) In 2008 the 94,3 % of the international tourism came from Europe coutries and the 81,8 from European union countries.( CYSTAT,2010)and Cyprus is one of the hot spot and with attractive history and for many year it was one o the most popular place of the area. Today as a mature destination has to challenging many problem to keep the arrival on profitable level. The arrivals every years falling 30000 and the factors that the revenues depending dropping dramatically.

Purpose of visit and pull-push factors

Cyprus has be tourist destination for leisure activities the last 25 year. As we can see on the table the 89.4% which was on 2004 is drop on 2008 to 81.6 %. On 2006 government start to promote new activities and to engarage bussiness and VFR to vised the island As I said Cyprus has meny community all around the world and that people come back to see there family members and with the globalaization is becoming more easy to travel to Cyprus from any destination that you living. The pull factor that cyprus has are the beaches and the many archaeologigal places that give you expiriences of the old years and the push factors are the time and the money that you spend to reach the island and the bad trasportation on the island.

Daily Average spending

The average expenditure per person by tourists on 2008 was €745,8(or €74,2 per day) and is drop 3,0 % from the preview year as well the high average expenditure recorded on august(€847,3) and the low on February(€579,4) . (CYSTAT, 2010)

Data per areas of Cyprus

The cities that the tourist choose for living and the Average Expenditure per Person (AEP) are: • Pafos and Polis(34,6%) with €779,2 AEP • AyiaNapa(16,6%) with €755,9 AEP • Paralimni (15,7%) with €671,8 AEP • Lemesos(13,2%) with€812,4AEP • Larnaka (9,5%) (n/a) (CYSTAT,2010) That means Lemesos provided the high class typology tourism roles of tourist destination on the other side Agia Napa and Paralimni attract people with low income because are area that provide activities that based on sun lover and action seeker typology tourism roles according to Mcguiggan and Yiannakis,role of tourists(Tourism a modern synthesis,2003)

Levels of demand falling in Cyprus

Moreover after recent drops in the number of visitors on the last years Cyprus organization of tourism(COT) has promote two newer fields of tourism golf and religion tourisms and with a marketing campaigns with target tourism with high spending power on the years 2005-2006 success to increase the revenue 3%. Cypriots understand that this kind of tourism are more profitable because the spend 35% more from the tourist that interesting just for sun and sea and sand.(’’Cyprusnet’’, 2010) At the same time the decresing the number of tourism and the increasing the revenue. One of the reason that they doing this is : Economy factor that effect tourism and Cyprus tourism decreasing every year is: •Price after adoption of euro on 2008 Cyprus became more competitive because the high markets of tourism such as UK ,Germans prefer different countries for holiday which there cheaper. As you can see on the table Cyprus is on the middle of the developed countries and the developing countries and because after world economy crises the tourism want the cheaper holiday and the choose destination like Turkey and Croatia.

The Uk is the bigest market of Cyprus inbound but if you search on the British webside that give advise to the UK citizents said: ‘’country remains divided by the 'Green Line' which separates the 'Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus' from the rest of the island. The 'Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus' is not recognised by the British Government’’(Foreign and commonwealth office,2010) That show that Cyprus has not be 100% safe and secure on the last 36 years for the tourists and the reason is the political promblem that has with Turkey. Moreover with the plog type of traveler now Cyprus is on period that psychocetric type of market that means is losing tourists from the political promblems.(Tourism a modern synthesis,2006)

Sesonality

International level

One of th biger problem that CTO challenging is to see Cyprus as a year round destination. The period that demand are really high is from April- October and with almost full occupency on July-August. That is not optimal use of capacity of tourism industy Arrivals by month from 2006-2008.

Cyprus organization on the last years try to improve the arrivals on the low season by promote different kind of tourism such as rural tourism, sports tourism, cultural tourism, religious tourism, spa tourism, Incentives tourism. Moreover provided low price and cheap package on that period or the promote alternative activities which not involve sun, sea, sand and that activities are, natural walk(Cyprus provide networks of 70 nature trails) hiking, golf. Some more field that take care is the segmentation of the foreign visitors for each season and the analysis of the profile of that tourisms. Data that they collected on period 1996-2006 using the method of SPSS revealed that foreign visitor such as Germans and Swiss prefer October for holiday while French on April that show that Cyprus has to marketing the destination on Germany, Greece and France for the low season and to keep the marketing for the high season markets such as great Britain and Russia.One other way that Cyprus Tourism Organisation figure out the problem of seasonality ne promote the Agrotourism which offers the opportunity to visitors to experience the traditional Cyprus(EMC,2009)

Domestic tourism

The population of the island is really small for that reason they do not have detailed data on domestic tourism. In 2008 1.2 million traveled overseas comparison on 2004 which was 859,454. The first choice destination is Greece and the second is England the purpose of traveling was 65.5 % leisure travelers and the 26.6 % business travelers 10,6% for studies. The average days that they travel was between 6.3 to 7.2 days. About 36,9% had visited Greece, 20,4 % United Kingdom 4,1 % Russia,2,7 % Bulgaria, 2,6 % Israel, 2,4 % France, 2,4 % Italy and 2,4 % Romania. The average age of residents of Cyprus that went on a trip abroad on 2008 was 39,0 years. The 43,4% were 25-44 years old, 31,5 % 45-64 years old and 18,3 % 15-24 years old.(‘’CYSTAT’’,2010)

  Moreover the government organization management some program for the support of the low income citizens but and for the tourism business to survive on the low-capacity of the winter months and to  on May 2009 the ministry of labor and social insurance corporation with COT their promoted the program social tourism which encourage Cypriots to take holidays at home. 

That program started on 2004 but it was for the summer period on May changed and now is until October. Moreover CTO last year promote the program ‘’Cyprus short escape-great discovery’’ is creative for the low winter season. That was low-cost week-end package with participate of number of 5 and 3 stars hotel and the prices was €75 on 5 stars and €50 on 3 stars.As well another program proved from the Cyprus hotel association. (Mintel,2009)

Accommodation

Cyprus provide a many kinds of accomodation for any preference on profile that visitors has and is a big amout of the small or family business that offer accomodation. Tha kind of accomodation that you can find are: hotels, hotel apartments, tourist villages, tourist villas, camping sites, traditional houses, tourist apartments, furnished apartments, guesthouses and hotels without star.(’’Cyprusnet’’,2010)

International

From all the internationla tourism 64.3% living in hotel with star,20,74% in hotel with out stars, 11.44% on tourism villahes,0,39 in tourist luxury villas and 2,74 on other categories tourist apartment.( CYSTAT,gust night per areas,2010)

Domestic

From all the domestic tourism 68% living in hotel with star,18.1 living in hotel with out stars,7.7 on tourism villahes,0,06 in tourist luxury villas and 6,4 on other categories tourist apartment.( CYSTAT,gust night per areas,2010) Tour Operators The tour operators play a big role on the island. On 2008 the 61% of the tourism was package holiday. The biggest travel tours that cover the market of Cyprus are: Tomas Cook, Olympic Holidays and Airtours. Moreover many local resident the operating travel agency and they corporate with the tour operators for more effect results on tourism (Travel navicator,2007) But the last years with the electronic tour operators has decrease the revenue of that kind of business. Moreover the opening of the border on the north part of Cyprus(2006) has affect the government income and the tour operators because many tourist for cheaper holiday the booked a ticket to south Cyprus and there going for vacation on the north Cyprus.That effect the two site because for one side government lost the taxes from that tourism and tour operators get just commission from the flight tickets.(Measures to boost Tourism in Cyprus cause collateral damage,2009) Type of tour(package or individuals

Transportation

Air

In 2008 the 92% of arrival came from that transportation(CYSTAT,2010) that means cyprus depening from the air trasportation.the island has two airport Larnaka and Paphos.nicosia has one as well but after the invation is under the Turkeys.today the airport managing a privite company Hermes airport Ltd.on the end of 2009 they open new terminal in larnaca which has the ocupency of 7 millions travelers and on 2013 is the phase 2 will raise the numbers of the travelers on 9 millions. But Brussels criticize the island for the high airport fees and for the airlines high landing fees make the destination expencive for the regulation of the ‘’International air carrier association’’(‘’Mintel’’,2009) Road The island has 14.630 km of roadway and some more which there cobwebbed with poorly maintained and high way link the eastern and wastern cities of island with nicosia. On the island you can use reatal company,public buses and taxis(with are kind of expencive) The rental companies not allow clints to take the car over the north border and if you want to pass you need visa or passport.(Mintel,2009)

Sea

 The numbers of 28.255 foreign citizens and 26.698 Cypriots  had participated in cruises cover the statistic of Cyprus for the year 2008(CYSTAT,2010). Cyprus has two ports Limassol and Larnaca.Larnaca is the main station for agricultural exports and Limassol is for cargo ships and cruise liners. Another mojor project developing on the west of Limassol.(‘’Cyprus’’,2009) 

Attraction

Cyprus is multuculture historical country and has to show to the tourists a history of 100000 years and natural enviromental attraction. There thousand of attractions that exist on that island.below we diveded the attraction accortin the typology of Swarbrooke.

Natural attractions

- The first attraction that cypriot used to atrract the tourist with the slogan of 3S(Sun,sea,sand). They had great income from that but on the next years tourist stared to requested something more traditional cyprus. Today enormous attractions like this had been developed on the seasides of the island but with the over-costuction that places have became a ‘’used orientated’’ wiyh the classiffication of Clawson some example are famous for tourist beaches such as Diana Beach,Alagadi Turtle Beach,Ladies' Mile Beach, Governor's Beach,Nissi Beach(Ten best beaches of Cyprus,2010) or Petra Tou Romiou- Birthplace of Aphrodite. Moreover some places exist that there still on ‘’resource based’’ and places like this is the Akamas peninsula- locating on the west of the island. Is one of the natural beauty of the island Some unique value spots are 530 plant species which the 126 you can find them just in Cyprus wild landscape, wide sandy bays. (Akamas peninsula,2006) Man –made attractions(other puposes) A country with so long history supposed to have as well a gread amount of that attractions but at the beginning of the costucture of the tourist they was give attention on the basic archeological places for exaples Kourio,Churchs ,Choirokoitia.Until 1991 CTO with the plans of sustainable tourism promoted new niche markets. European union coporation of Cyprus goverment had restored and converted traditional or old buildings and they give the name agrotourism which mean county-side tourism and that building became traditional houses,culural center, handicraft centers.(Cyprusnet,2009).As well the majority of the national museum there are old restored buldings .Today you can find many attraction that they look new-old structure villages some exaples Krasochoria(wine villages) and many traditional villages.(CTO,2009) Accorting to Clason clacification the major of that attractions are on the courtry side of the island that means is a ‘’resource based’’

Man –made attractions(tourists puposes)

Cyprus has still enormous numbers of buldings that they need restore that mean Cyprus government do not spend a big amount of money to build new attraction but is renew the old that is a reason that cyprus don’t have great amount of that kind attraction. Is build that attraction only for pupose and safety of the residents and tourism. What I means;the majority of the theater and the national or local Exhibition Center there have purpose to attract visitors . some examples are: Nicosia Municipal theatre Thalassa marine museum (CTO,2009) and, EXPO CYPRUS(Cyprus State Fairs Authority,2010)

Special events

The most popular annual events there take place all over cyprus on the summer season.at the same time are a great amount of events that take place for a particular time and there organised from locals(“Diastasis” Cultural Association) or international association. But comparing other countries Cyprus is very small to achive a high participation events.some example are Wine festival,ExpoCyprus(CTO,2009)