30/03/2009 Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development
The Parliamentary Assembly’s Sub-Committee on Tourism Development discussed the tourism situation and prospects in and the wider Europe at its meeting in , on 27-28 March 2009 with Elvira Cortajarena (Spain, Socialist Group) in the Chair.
The Sub-Committee held exchange of views with the Cypriot Minister of Finance, Charilaos G. Stavrakis, the Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, Antonis Paschalides, as well as representatives of the tourist industry and of the European Union. The discussion showed among other things that diversifying the traditional tourist product and tourist markets may help to counter the effects of the financial and economic crisis in this sector – illustrated by a dramatic 19,3% drop in tourist arrivals in in February 2009 over the same month in the previous year.
Cyprus – a traditional “sun, sea and sand” destination where tourism accounts for about 10% of GDP and which has suffered from competition from other countries – is developing new forms of provision such as “green”, cultural, health and marine tourism based on its natural assets. It is also seeking to take advantage of its position as a crossroads – not only geographical but of cultures and civilisations – to attract tourists from the emerging markets, especially in the .
The Sub-Committee unanimously re-elected Mr Pat Breen (, EPP/CD) as its Vice-Chairperson.