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Tourism is one of the mainstays of the
Cyprus economy since Cyprus has a reputation
as a fine holiday destination. Each year the
number of tourists visiting the island represents
about three times the local population (2,1 m in
1995). These tourists, most of them Europeans, bring in more than C£800m in
foreign currency a year, representing 40% of the island's foreign exchange
earnings. Tourism accounts directly and indirectly for around 20% of GDP, implying
a significant dependence of the economy on the sector of tourism. The number of
tourist beds reached almost 80.000 by 1995.
Efforts to facilitate the growth of tourism have been helped by nature and history. Sandy beaches, a warm sea and invariably reliable sunshine are a major attraction for sun-seeking Europeans. But thousands of years of civilisation have left a heritage of Greco-Roman archaeological sites, Mediaeval castles and Byzantine churches which tourists find equally irresistible. Hard work and the Cypriot temperament have also played a role. Luxury hotels, a well organised tourist back-up service industry, and sports and conference facilities have provided comfort, the necessary infrastructure and variety. A time-honoured tradition of hospitality ('foreigner' and 'guest' mean the same thing in Cyprus) guarantees a warm welcome to visitors. Despite its many attributes, however, travellers were relatively late in discovering Cyprus. Aphwdite's flamboyant awival on the southern coast near Paphos notwithstanding, for much of its history Cyprus has been more popular with conquerors than tourists. True, a few distinguished travellers did make it to Cyprus, among them Leonardo da Vinci and Archduke Louis Salvator of Austria. With British rule in 1878 the island gently eased its way onto the Grand European tour and in the mid-20th century the island's mountain resort of Platres became popular with Egyptian visitors, including King Faruk. But popular tourism really took offwith Independence in 1960. The bustling port city of Famagusta and the scenic harbour town of Kyrenia became household names in Europe, as Britons, Germans and Scandinavians flocked to the island to enjoy the sun, sea and historic sites. By 1973 tourist arrivals had risen to 264.000 and construction in the main tourist resorts reflected the anticipated continuation of the boom. The Turkish invasion rocked the very foundations of the tourist industry, however, and set its development back by years. Seventy per cent of the island's tourist capacity, including the two major tourist resorts of Famagusta and Kyrenia, came under occupation. The island's only airport
The copyright of the article Cyprus: A Bird Eye View-part two. in Middle East Travel is owned by Mubashar Ahmad Baig. Permission to republish Cyprus: A Bird Eye View-part two. in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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