Cyprus Looks to Make Diving a Bigger Part of Its Tourism Strategy

Cyprus could significantly expand its diving tourism sector and turn it into a higher-value, year-round tourism product, according to a major new study prepared for the island’s Deputy Ministry of Tourism.

The 439-page study, carried out by the Cyprus Marine and Maritime Institute (CMMI), concludes that Cyprus already has many of the ingredients needed to compete more strongly as an international diving destination, but that the sector is being held back by a lack of infrastructure, regulation, promotion and reliable data.

The study identified 86 dive centres across the Republic of Cyprus and approximately 69 dive sites, including 45 primarily accessed by boat and 24 shore dives. It also identified 17 shipwrecks, seven of them accidental wrecks and 10 deliberately deployed, alongside a number of artificial reef parks.

Cyprus’s underwater attractions extend well beyond its best-known wreck, the Zenobia. The study highlights rocky reefs, caves, walls, arches, Posidonia meadows, marine life, underwater archaeological sites and numerous wrecks.

The island’s clear water, good visibility and relatively warm sea temperatures are also identified as major advantages. The study says diving is potentially viable throughout the year, with particularly favourable conditions between June and October.

However, the report says many dive sites lack basic facilities such as parking, access paths, changing areas, toilets, signage, suitable entry and exit points, marker buoys and moorings.

It also recommends the introduction of a national licensing system for dive centres and instructors, alongside clearer national safety standards and stronger coordination between the authorities responsible for tourism, fisheries, marine policing and ports.

Promotion is another area where the study sees considerable room for improvement. It recommends greater international promotion, participation in diving exhibitions, underwater photography and freediving competitions, educational events, seabed clean-ups and stronger cooperation between the diving industry, hotels and travel agencies.

The researchers also believe diving could help extend Cyprus’s traditional tourism season, attracting visitors outside the busiest summer months.

The study is now being used to help shape a national strategy for the development of diving tourism in Cyprus.

Source: Cyprus Business News

Photo: Jane Morgan