Russia has recently approved an agreement to liberalize air routes with Cyprus, which will increase the number of flights from major cities in Russia to Cyprus in the future. It is expected that tourist towns in Cyprus such as Ayia Napa and Paralimni will welcome up to 300,000 Russian tourists this winter, bringing much-needed revenue and profits to the Cypriot tourism industry.
In 2013, the number of tourists traveling to Cyprus showed a slow decline, primarily due to the financial crisis and unfavorable external tourism promotion. However, with the anticipated increase in tourist numbers this winter, more hotels in Cypriot tourist towns will remain open during the winter season, and the rising unemployment rate, especially in the tourism sector, is expected to be curbed.
The decision by Russia to fully liberalize flights was achieved through the joint efforts and lobbying of the Cypriot government, hotel developers, tourism agencies, and local governments in Cyprus. Route liberalization means that there will be more charter and scheduled flights from major Russian cities such as Moscow and Saint Petersburg to Cyprus, while allowing more airlines to open routes connecting the two countries.
