Filenews 3 March 2021 - by Dora Christodoulou
Perhaps for the first time in the annals of Paphos, tourist prospects start in a country other than the United Kingdom. The peculiarities created by the pandemic put Israel primarily in the frame of restarting the Paphos market, since this country seems to have gone one step further in the possibilities of restoring a relative regularity in the matter of tourist travel.
This situation, the "F" responsible for the economic life of Paphos, is also confirmed by the very encouraging results of the recent contacts of the President of the Republic in Israel with regard to the restart of tourism and trade cooperation of the previous three years, interrupted by the pandemic.
The positive atmosphere reflected at government level with Tel Aviv in recent times, as well as Ryanair's recent announcement that in the summer of 2021 it is increasing its flights from Israel to Paphos airport by five per week, are seen by the tourist and business operators of the city and province as promising conditions for the further implementation of the agreements and plans already reached during the contacts of recent years and interrupted by the pandemic.
These excellent prospects also seem to be confirmed by the scientists' estimates that Cyprus and Israel are at the same very good point of dealing with the pandemic and therefore able to start their air connection very early. According to the Paphos institutions, the Israeli market for 2019 has already moved sharply upwards, ranking it as the fourth largest market in arrivals in Cyprus, recording a 50% increase over the previous year, while correspondingly positive pre-pandemic movements in terms of pre-holdings and expressions of interest in 2020.
For Paphos this market has been steadily growing upward in recent years while The Paphos institutions consider that actions with Israel can be further developed.
