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Cyprus Expands Air Connectivity With New European and Middle Eastern Routes

Enhanced Air Network for a Growing Market

Cyprus is set to bolster its air connectivity this summer, unveiling an expanded network at both Larnaca and Paphos airports. Driven by Hermes Airports in strategic collaboration with key airlines and tourism stakeholders, this initiative is designed to offer residents a broader range of travel options and to sustain the island’s upward trajectory in visitor arrivals.

Strategic Expansions at Larnaca Airport

Larnaca Airport has significantly widened its direct services, linking major cities with emerging holiday destinations. Newly introduced routes include Condor’s services to Frankfurt, Zurich, and Düsseldorf, as well as SkyExpress’s route to Heraklion. Moreover, Cyprus Airways has refreshed its schedule by adding twice-weekly services to Venice, Barcelona, Preveza, Rhodes, Santorini, and Skiathos. The air travel landscape is further enriched by Helvetic Airways connecting to Bern, Eurowings operating flights to Berlin, Salzburg, and Graz, and Saudia inaugurating services to Riyadh. Additional launches include EasyJet’s routes to Belfast and Nantes along with TUI’s connections to Belfast, Cardiff, and Newcastle. Further growth is marked by Braathens launching services to Gothenburg and Helsinki, Smartwings expanding reach to Prague, Bratislava, and several Eastern European cities, Swiss adding Geneva, and Wizz Air serving Vienna.

Boosting Paphos Airport’s Role as a Gateway

In tandem with Larnaca’s developments, Paphos Airport is reinforcing its status as a crucial entry point to Cyprus. Ryanair has augmented its offerings with four-times-weekly flights to Mykonos and Rhodes, as well as twice-weekly services to Toulouse and Marseille. Additionally, TUI’s newly added routes to Luton and Norwich, along with Transavia’s weekly connection to Lyon, mark significant steps in diversifying the travel choices available to visitors.

Conclusion

This comprehensive expansion of Cyprus’s air network underscores the country’s commitment to sustaining robust connectivity with major markets in Europe and the Middle East. With strategic route partnerships and an increased frequency of services, Cyprus is poised to further enhance its appeal as a prime destination for tourists and business travelers alike.

Foreign Firms Contribute €3.5 Billion To Cyprus Economy In 2023

Recent Eurostat data reveals that Cyprus remains an outlier within the European Union, where foreign-controlled companies contribute minimally to the nation’s employment figures and economic output. While these enterprises have a substantial impact in other member states, in Cyprus they account for only 10 percent of all jobs, a figure comparable only to Italy and marginally higher than Greece’s 8 percent.

Employment Impact

The report highlights that foreign-controlled companies in Cyprus employ 32,119 individuals out of a total workforce that, across the EU, reaches 24,145,727. In contrast, countries such as Luxembourg boast a 45 percent job share in foreign-controlled firms, with Slovakia and the Czech Republic following closely at 28 percent.

Economic Output Analysis

In terms of economic contribution, these enterprises generated a total value added of €3.5 billion in Cyprus, a small fraction compared to the overall EU total of €2.39 trillion. Notably, Ireland leads with 71 percent of its value added stemming from foreign-controlled firms, followed by Luxembourg at 61 percent and Slovakia at 50 percent. On the lower end, France, Italy, Greece, and Germany exhibit values below 20 percent.

Domestic Versus Foreign Ownership

The data underscores Cyprus’s heavy reliance on domestically controlled enterprises for both employment and economic output. However, it is important to note that certain businesses might be owned by foreign nationals who have established companies under Cypriot jurisdiction. As a result, these firms are classified as domestically controlled despite having foreign ownership or management components.

Conclusion

This analysis emphasizes the unique role that foreign-controlled enterprises play within the Cypriot economy. While their overall impact is limited compared to some EU counterparts, the presence of these companies continues to contribute significantly to the island’s economic landscape.

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