Cyprus Airways, the national airline in Cyprus has eliminated its EUR35 charges for sports equipment. Any sports equipment below 15kg will now be free after the changes.
Cypriot Tourism Organizations welcomed the move and hailed it as an opportunity to increase sports tourism in the area. The main beneficiary of this change could be Cyprus’ golfing industry. The country already has many tourists who travel there for a golfing trip. With the lower cost of such an excursion, they can only increase.
These routes are the ones affected by the removal of fees: Paphos International Airport from London, Manchester and Frankfurt, Munich and Paris.
Cyprus is steadily becoming one of Europe’s most popular golfing destinations. Golf enthusiasts find Cyprus a highly attractive destination because of its climate and high quality golf courses.
With flight prices from London to Paphos ranging from around £50 to £125 in May with Cyprus Airways, the EUR35 (approximately £30) is a relatively considerable discount.
With just 70% of shares, the Cypriot government holds the majority shareholding in the airline. The airline was in serious financial trouble when it faced severe losses in 2006. This is the current situation. It makes economic sense that the airline’s owners do everything they can to encourage more tourism to the country. This theoretically will boost the economy and help to increase the company’s profitability.
Other than the obvious benefits for golfers, fee drops could be beneficial to other sports like football and hockey. Cyprus has a warm climate and is often used as a training site for northern and central European soccer teams. Therefore, teams would find it attractive to pay no equipment fees if they plan to visit the area.
Hockey is also popular in Cyprus. All major tournaments are organized by the Cyprus Hockey Association. Any international players who wish to travel to Cyprus for hockey gear would have had the EUR35 fee. This new development is sure be appreciated by these hockey players.
Although there are other potential beneficiaries, the primary institutions that will be affected by the changes to the law in Cyprus are likely the golf courses. This is a major reason why the fee was dropped.