Deputy tourism minister Savvas Perdios wants to give more emphasis to Troodos and the mountain resorts more generally as Cyprus moves to differentiate its tourist product.
Speaking after a meeting with the Greens, Perdios said that Troodos and the mountain resorts can help Cyprus stand apart as a destination.
“This is something we want to give special emphasis to in the next few years because we believe it can differentiate us as a destination. We have a geological gem in the Troodos area and we believe the time has come for it to be presented as it should,” he said.
Tourism should benefit society as a whole. As an integral part of the economy, the tourism sector should be protected, he added.
“For this to happen we need specific planning with the right development of the areas,” he said.
Perdikis stressed the need for tourism development to be well thought out so that it benefits not just the economy but the environment.
“Tourism has very serious repercussions on the environment and creates large prospects for the economy, which is why we must find a way to marry the risks with the prospects to the benefit of the economy and we believe to the benefit of the environment,” he said.
The vast majority of tourists congregating on the beaches placed pressure on the natural environment there. Tourism development may, along with urban development, be the biggest threat to the Cyprus environment that is why care is need in managing it, he concluded.
