Cyprus Deputy Minister of Tourism discusses market recovery at IFTM Paris

Deputy Minister of Tourism Kostas Koumis led the Cypriot delegation at the IFTM 2026 international tourism exhibition in Paris this September. The mission focused on revitalizing tourism flows from the French market, which saw a decline in 2026 due to geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. During the event, Koumis held high-level meetings with major travel organization executives to discuss strategies for 2027, emphasizing a projected increase in tourist numbers supported by enhanced flight connectivity.

The discussions also centered on upgrading the Cypriot tourism product to better suit French visitors' preferences and coordinating promotional efforts. Koumis attended the opening ceremony at the invitation of his French counterpart, Serge Papin, who subsequently visited the Cyprus pavilion to bolster bilateral cooperation. Looking ahead, stakeholders expect the significant rise in offered airline seats to be a primary catalyst for reversing the recent downward trend and strengthening the presence of Cyprus in the French tourism sector.