During the annual tourism conference of the Association of Cyprus Tourist Enterprises (ACTE) in Nicosia, Cyprus’ Deputy Minister of Tourism, Kostas Koumis, emphasized the importance of sustainable tourism that respects both visitors and local resources.

In a round table discussion about the contribution of tourism to the economies of Cyprus and Greece, Koumis highlighted its significance, noting it accounted for 12.8% of Cyprus's GDP this year. He observed that tourism's importance in Europe became more pronounced post-2000 and particularly during the pandemic. This period sparked discussions about creating a common tourism portfolio, supported by large companies, to address various destination challenges.

Koumis addressed the need to enhance strengths and improve weaknesses in the sector, like limited winter air connectivity. He also stressed the urgency of addressing climate change, a significant threat that could lead to a loss of visitors seeking milder climates elsewhere.

Regarding seasonality, an issue for many southern European countries, Koumis mentioned Cyprus's initiative at the EU level to promote travel during low season months through European funds, enhancing year-round tourism.

Myron Flouris, the Secretary General for Tourism Policy and Development at Greece’s Ministry of Tourism, urged stakeholders in Cyprus' tourism sector to focus on planning and prevention to bolster resilience, especially in light of recent natural disasters in Greece. He also spoke about the sustainability of the tourism industry.

Alexandros Thanos, Advisor of the Greek Tourism Enterprises Confederation, pointed out that the private sector, while not competing with state efforts, can offer data-driven recommendations and help shape future tourism strategies. He noted that tourism accounts for about 25% of Greece's GDP but emphasized the revenue disparity across regions, with five of the 13 regions generating 90% of annual revenue within five months. Thanos also highlighted the potential of developing sectors like film production and conference tourism.

ACTE President Akis Vavlitis spoke about the pronounced seasonality in Cypriot tourism, leading to unfavorable outcomes for winter employment and investment mobilization. He called for strategic planning with state and agency contributions and urged for faster procedures for third-country worker arrivals and increased state funding for the Deputy Ministry of Tourism.