Filenews 13 August 2021 - by Dora Christodoulou
A remarkable increase in domestic tourism records for the second consecutive year and in connection with the pandemic, Paphos. It seems that its small size and its long distance from the other urban areas of the island were considered by our compatriots as conditions sufficient for their required distancing, but also as an occasion for a more "distant" journey inland for those who will not travel abroad even this year.
"Manna from heaven" for the entrepreneurs of the port of Kato Paphos and the festive weekend that began yesterday. The climax of the Holidays of Cyprus on the 15th of August brings back crowds of visitors until Sunday, with catering businesses and other shops in the coastal region taking a deep breath after months of partial or no commercial activity.
Things are particularly positive these days, after at least a year, pointed out entrepreneurs of the land area, since the traffic from the few foreign tourists is greatly enhanced by the Cypriots who show again this year their preference for the short escapes of the three-day trip to Paphos. The local element, they stressed, is emerging again this year as well as in 2020 as a catalyst for commercial activity and the rescue of hundreds of companies in the sector. However, they note, the problem created by the pandemic in the Kato Paphos region is not effectively solved.
Very positive results, were found generally in the two months of June-July the campaign of the tourism industry of Paphos aimed at domestic tourism, after the negative developments brought about by the pandemic.
The overall movement of domestic tourism has not been able to fill even rudimentarily the huge gap created this year by the pandemic in the tourist product of Paphos, businessmen conclude, but the increase in local visitors has contributed to the keeping alive of several companies in the sector that have been re-activated considering that the situation would improve internationally, which did not happen in the end.
