Journalist Katie McGonagle wrote a glowing piece on the region in the UK’s leading travel industry publication this month, under the title ‘Larnaca: In the palm of your hand’, which was supported by a quote from Photis Lambrianides, Commercial Director of Olympic Holidays as the ‘Ask the Expert’.
In the article, McGonagle wrote about the region’s attractions and diversity, mentioning – amongst other elements — the new hotels, the ‘budding community of craftsmen and artisans’, the Zenobia wreck, the Church of St Lazarus, Pierides Museum, the Larnaca Tourism Board’s (LTB) complimentary winter activities programme, the salt lake and its flamingos, the mosque of Umm Haram, and the ‘spectacular backdrops for the wedding album’.
Talking about the changes in recent years to both the reputation and character of Larnaca, McGonagle wrote, “Larnaca is many things, but ‘trendy’ probably wasn’t one of them – until now… Fresh from a makeover of the two-mile stretch between Larnaca’s mediaeval castle and trendy McKenzie Beach, the promenade is positively bursting with life… (and) its growing foodie scene is a real draw, especially since food and drink is generally cheaper than elsewhere on the island.”
Within his endorsement of Larnaca, Lambrianides said, “Larnaca has been the most underrated resort for a long time, but it has transformed into Cyprus’ coolest and most vibrant resort.”
LTB Tourism Officer, Nana Asmeni-Pavlou, said the piece reflects the current climate well.
“Katie summed up the appeal of the region perfectly when she wrote ‘Larnaca is moving out of the simple bucket-and-spade bracket and becoming a much more well-rounded destination that is worthy of another look.’
“This is what we have been working towards as a tourism board and there is a strong and more defined image starting to emerge for Larnaca as a result.”
With a presence in print and online media, ‘Travel Weekly’ is 30% larger than its direct print rival and holds an 80% market share against its direct online rival.
Olympic Holidays moves over 500,000 holidaymakers a year and was voted the British Travel Awards’ ‘Best Tour Operator to Hellenic Europe 2015’, making the endorsement from two major players in the UK tourism industry significant for Larnaca.
Source: InCyprus
