Immigration Life in Cyprus: According to foreign media reports, the tourism industry and government authorities in Cyprus are exploring ways to circumvent EU visa regulations. Once implemented, these measures are expected to attract 300,000 Chinese tourists to Cyprus annually, compared to the current figure of only 1,000 visitors per year.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cyprus recently stated that EU visa regulations require applicants to apply in person at embassies or consulates, and currently, the Cypriot embassy in China only has a visa office in Beijing. The feasible solutions being discussed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs include establishing additional consulates and visa application centers outside of Beijing, or engaging third-party agencies to handle visa application review and processing.
It is understood that currently, Chinese citizens visiting Cyprus are primarily there for business investment and inspection purposes. Earlier this year, Loizou, Chairman of the Cyprus Tourism Organization, reported that Cyprus received 92,508 international tourists in the first two months of this year, an increase of 6,605 compared to the same period last year. The growth in tourist numbers was mainly concentrated in EU countries such as the UK, Germany, and France.
Statistics show that in 2014, revenue from the tourism industry in Cyprus reached 2 billion euros, a year-on-year decrease of 2.8%, while the total number of tourists received for the year was 2.4 million, a year-on-year increase of 1.5%. According to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), the total revenue generated by the tourism industry and its related sectors accounts for approximately 1/4 of Cyprus's total national economy. To boost the tourism industry, relevant departments in Cyprus implemented a modernization of the tourism regulatory system this April, aiming to reduce management costs by 25%. Cyprus is also rebranding and repositioning its tourism products.