Paphitis wrote: You still have not told me what it is that could possibly attract a mainstream Aussie traveller to Cyprus Pyro. What is it that could possibly attract an Aussie to Cyprus rather than Greece, Turkey or Italy? Is it Troodhos? Is it Akamas? What about Agia Napa? Limassol maybe? Nissi Beach. These things are marketable to the British, French, Russians, Swedes and so on, but not to Australians or Kiwis. If you try to market it to Australians and Kiwis, then its like trying to sell ice to Eskimos. And they won't buy!
Why the fuck would an Aussie go to Cyprus to see Nissi Beach?
If you were in business you would go bankrupt within a year Paphitis.
Simply because you assume that people want/like/need what you want/like/need.
It doesn’t work that way.
Tourism is a product, and if you were a good businessman you should forget about your own opinion, and try to sell the product in the best of your abilities.
Asking me what an Aussie could possibly be attracted from Cyprus is as naive as it can get.
Cyprus is a tourist destination, and offers a lot of things to ANY candidate tourist.
If you were a tourist agent, and Cyprus was one of your products, you wouldn’t be able to sell not even one package for Cyprus. Actually judging from what you said you wouldn’t be able to sell not even one package for overseas holidays to any Aussie, trying to convince him that Australia is the best in everything so why go abroad? However your competitor round the corner would sell hundreds of packages for Cyprus simply because he believes and trusts the value of the product he sells.
People go on holidays for al sorts of reasons: to get out of everyday routine, to relax, to have an adventure, to see interesting places, to learn new cultures, etc etc etc, the list is endless.
Some people arrange their holidays themselves, however the majority (at least in Europe) rely on tourist agents. Now if someone wants to go mountain climbing he wouldn’t come to Cyprus, however if he wants the best climate in Europe, then the Mediterranean is the answer, and Cyprus is in the Mediterranean. If he doesn’t like big crowded beaches he wouldn’t go to Cannes. But if he likes a small place where he can see hundreds of interesting places within one hour drive, plus relaxing a few days by the beach, then sure Cyprus is a perfect candidate.
Of course a lot of people like the Greek islands. The Greek islands are very small and don’t have much seeing around. Not my personal taste, but then again I am just a unit. Others go to France, to the UK to Turkey to Italy, to Egypt, everywhere you can imagine. Everybody does it for his own reasons, and as always it depends on the cost.
Some people have heard about Cyprus from friends. Others from Cypriot expats.
The first tourists we ever had from Canada, were because the few Canadians serving in the Unficyp spread the word back home.
Now if every Aussie expat is the same is you, thinking that Cyprus is the worst place to have his holidays then we would be doomed. Obviously they are not, hence the reason we have so many tourists from Australia.
Tourism choices are as diverse as every individual person. And tourism is a product. Just remember that.
