Cyprus has attracted numerous investors since 2012 with the tide of investment immigration. Today, the Chinese community residing in Cyprus is particularly passionate about the local natural scenery, and many praise Cyprus as a true tourist destination in the Mediterranean. Immigrating to Cyprus allows one to experience the sunshine, beaches, blue skies, and azure seas of the 'Island of Aphrodite,' while tracing the goddess of beauty 'Venus' from Greek mythology and touching the weathered history of ancient temple relics.
Cyprus has placed great emphasis on building its tourism brand, and in order to attract more tourists, the Cypriot tourism industry and government authorities are studying ways to bypass EU visa regulations to expedite visa issuance. Following the implementation of this measure, it is anticipated that an additional 300,000 Chinese tourists will visit Cyprus annually.
Recently, the Cypriot Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed the public that EU visa regulations require applicants to process their applications in person at embassies and consulates, and currently, the Cypriot embassy in China only has a visa office in Beijing. The feasible options under discussion include establishing additional consulate offices outside Beijing to accept visa applications, or increasing third-party agencies responsible for the review and processing of visa applications.
According to reports, currently, the main reasons for Chinese individuals traveling to Cyprus are for business investment and inspections. Earlier this year, the Chairman of the Cyprus Tourism Organization Loizou stated that in the first two months of this year, Cyprus received a total of 92,508 foreign visitors, which is an increase of 6,605 compared to the same period last year. The increase in visitors mainly comes from countries such as the United Kingdom, Germany, and France, other EU countries.