Iran and Cyprus aim to expand tourism ties, with the government in Nicosia eyeing investment opportunities in Iran.
During a meeting last week in Tehran, Angelos Loizou, chairman of the Cyprus Tourism Organization told Masoud Soltanifar, head of Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization, investment in the lucrative sector “can be a stepping stone for greater cooperation between the two countries,” the Persian daily Donya-e-Eqtesad reported.
He added that his country is willing to provide training in the area of hotel and tourism management to Iranian professionals.
For his part, Soltanifar welcomed the Cypriot interest in financing tourism projects in Iran and pointed to hotel construction as an area in dire need of investment.
“We’re ready to facilitate investment in the sector by Cypriot financiers,” he said.
Earlier this month, the start-up Cypriot airline Cobalt announced new flights to Tehran when the carrier is launched in late-May.
The move will delight many businesses looking to tap the Iranian market following the lifting of economic sanctions on Tehran as a result of the implementation of the nuclear deal signed last year. Cobalt plans to launch daily flights from Larnaca to Tehran.
Currently, there are no regular flights between the two states. However, Qeshm Air and Mahan Air operate seasonal flights from Tehran to Larnaca during the two-week Iranian new year holiday (usually begins on March 21) and some periods in the summer season.
