Cyprus’ Deputy Minister of Tourism Kostas Koumis with Greek Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni in Athens. Photo source: Greek Tourism Ministry
Greece and Cyprus are deepening their bilateral and multilateral collaboration in the tourism sector, focusing on joint initiatives and strategic planning.
Greek Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni on Monday met with Cyprus’ Deputy Minister of Tourism Kostas Koumis in Athens. The officials discussed the development of joint travel packages targeting long-haul markets such as the United States and China, the exchange of best practices on tourism legislation — including short-term rentals, visitor flow management, and season extension — and the expansion of tripartite cooperation in the broader region.
Koumis also pledged Cyprus’ support for Greece’s candidacy for the position of Secretary-General of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism), represented by former Greek Tourism Minister Harry Theoharis. Additionally, he confirmed Cyprus’ backing for Greece’s renewal of its seat on UN Tourism’s Executive Board.
Photo source: Greek Tourism Ministry
At the European Union level, discussions explored potential synergies in tourism policy ahead of Cyprus’ presidency of the Council of the EU in 2026. Both countries aim to promote initiatives on sustainable tourism development and address the impact of climate change on the sector.
To enhance coordination, the ministers agreed to establish a bilateral cooperation committee. The Greek side will be led by the ministry’s Secretary General, Vasia Koutsoukou, while the Cypriot side will be represented by Costas Constantinou, Director General of the Deputy Ministry of Tourism.
During the meeting, Koumis also expressed Cyprus’ interest in participating in the Observatory for Coastal and Marine Tourism in the Mediterranean, a Greek-led initiative. He received assurances of ongoing updates as the framework for the observatory progresses.
Photo source: Greek Tourism Ministry
The meeting was attended by senior officials, including Secretary General of Tourism Vasiliki Koutsoukou, her Cypriot counterpart Costas Constantinou, and the Greek Minister’s Diplomatic Advisor, Ambassador George Dimitriadis.
Follow GTP Headlines on Google News to keep up to date with all the latest on tourism and travel in Greece.
Source link
