Filenews 28 November 2025 - by Angelos Angelodimou
The priorities of the competent tourism bodies are changing in terms of maintaining the viability, but also the competitiveness of the industry. In a greeting at the STEK tourism conference on "Sustainable Tourism: The Absolute One-Way Street", the Deputy Minister of Tourism Kostas Koumis noted, among other things, that now "the biggest challenge is to cope with the threat of climate change and its adverse, if no measures are taken, effects".
Deputy Minister: €20 million is being channelled.
Mr. Koumis added that the five priority pillars of the European Tourism Agenda 2030, which concern the green transition, the digital transition, building resilience, the inclusion of all social groups, the support of education on the basis of skilling – upskilling and reskilling, and of course the adoption of new legislative regulations, are being implemented in practice by the Deputy Ministry of Tourism. To add that the Deputy Ministry has utilized the Recovery and Resilience Mechanism, having already launched the channelling to tourism businesses and local communities, an amount that is expected to exceed €20 million at the end of the measure. Above all, however, as the Deputy Minister of Tourism said, "we invested in local communities, in the visitor, in people, but also in business".
Sustainable tourism is the only way forward
In his greeting, which was read by the Secretary of STEK Socrates Solomidis, the President of the Association Akis Vavlitis said that sustainable tourism is no longer an option but "the only path that ensures the resilience of our destination, the cohesion of our society and the credibility of our country internationally". "Yesterday's model, which was based on quantity, cannot respond to today's challenges," he underlined. "Sustainability is not a slogan. It is a responsibility, an opportunity and an obligation and it is the ultimate one-way street to ensure a better tomorrow – for our country, our people and the next generations," he concluded.
Huge increase in travel
The data cited by Google's Account Manager Thanos Papageorgiou caused a sensation, noting, among other things, that by 2040 we will have more than 2.4 billion trips, showing an increase of 1 billion trips, compared to 2019. He added that by the same year, just five markets will account for 42% of travellers as opposed to 32% before the Covid-19 pandemic and added that while at the same time India seems to be recording more growth, traditional powers such as Croatia, Spain and Italy seem to be falling from the top 15 places.
The 4 new hot spots
Furthermore, Mr. Papageorgiou said that 45% of travellers worldwide head to four hot spots and added that the New Middle East, according to a Deloitte survey, "is rapidly emerging as a top tourist destination, including Cyprus". More specifically, according to the survey in question, which was published on November 12, Deloitte has identified four key tourist spots based on its future travel forecasts: (a) the Mediterranean, (b) Southeast Asia, (c) the Middle East and (d) the Caribbean. These clusters, according to Deloitte's research, are expected to attract an increasing number of travellers as the industry diversifies. Spain and Mexico are predicted to increase their popularity among the rest of the destinations.
In more detail, Deloitte's four main tourist spots: Mediterranean – This area is expected to remain a major attraction for tourists, due to its existing popularity and growth. Southeast Asia – It is expected to be an important region for tourism development, attracting a large number of new tourists. Middle East – A new and emerging cluster of destinations predicted to grow at a faster rate than Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. Caribbean – This region is also predicted to see increased tourist arrivals as part of a broader diversification of travel destinations.
Financing by banks
Representatives of Eurobank Ltd expressed the bank's readiness to finance "sustainable proposals that improve business and product quality", noting that banks will play a key role in supporting the hotel industry in the coming years.
Maria Kouroupi of Hermes Airports Ltd referred, among other things, to the trend within the EU to impose more tax burdens on air transport, resulting in an increase in travel costs, while finally, the former vice-president of the European Investment Bank (EIB) Kyriakos Kakouris said that in a program of the bank amounting to €150 million that was channelled to the Cypriot economy, 35% went to the tourism sector.
