Cyprus President Backs Tourism Expansion

The President of Cyprus has promised to back an expansion of the country's tourism industry to further economic development, according to a new report.

Tassos Papadopoulos, speaking the opening ceremony of the Hoteliers' Pancyprian General Assembly in Nicosia, explained that Cyprus offers "quality and a special tourist experience" that differentiates the country from its rivals, the Cyprus Financial Mirror reported.

And property investors in the country could stand to benefit as Cyprus strives to build its tourism industry further.

"The government, evaluating correctly the decisive significance of tourism to the economic development of the island and the people's welfare, maintains in its priority, interests and aims, the continued upgrading of this key sector," remarked President Tassos.

Travel into Cyprus could soon be boosted by the reconstruction of Larnaca airport into a "world-class" facility, along with Paphos airport, the Financial Mirror reported earlier this month.

Cyprus' revamped airports should be complete by the end of 2009.