Holiday islands such as Cyprus welcome holidaymakers with open arms, but with increasing environmental awareness many of them are hoping to address any damage done while people visit.

The campaign to get Cyprus greener has started in Paphos, and aimed initially at those taking self catering holidays with Thomas Cook Holidays, who with the Travel Foundation launched the initiative.

A press release recently explained what they were doing and why:

A campaign to reduce plastic waste and help keep Paphos green has been launched by Thomas Cook UK & Ireland in collaboration with sustainable tourism charity, the Travel Foundation and the Cyprus Sustainable Tourism Initiative. This summer, self-caterers enjoying Cyprus holidays with Thomas Cook will be given reusable cloth bags to use instead of plastic bags. Local hotels will also receive advice and guidance on how to minimise plastic waste.

The scheme has been designed to reduce the 2,000-plus tonnes of plastic bags that are used in Cyprus every year. Many of these bags and other plastic items end up in land-fill, where they slowly break down into smaller particles that can then contaminate the soil and waterways. The organisations hope to help protect the environment by reducing the amount of plastic used in the resort. To promote the initiative, those who use the bags when shopping will have the opportunity to enter a draw to win a voucher for £200 off their next Thomas Cook holidays.

Hotel staff and guests will also receive advice on how to reduce plastic waste. The organisations have developed an in-depth plastic waste reduction programme, which will involve approximately eight Cyprus hotels.

Andy Cooper, Director of Government and External Affairs at Thomas Cook, said: “We’re delighted to be working with the Travel Foundation on a great cause which will go some way to protect the island’s environment. With the support and involvement of customers, resort representatives, hoteliers and local businesses, we’re hoping that this campaign will be a huge success.”

Julie Middleton, the Travel Foundation’s Industry Programmes Manager, said: ‘By taking simple actions such as using cloth bags for shopping and reusing plastic bottles holiday makers can help keep Cyprus clean and green. With over 2 million tourists travelling to Cyprus every year, small changes made by individuals can have a significant impact on the environment. Selected supermarkets, hotels and self-catering properties in Paphos are supporting the campaign and we hope that local people will get involved too.’

All very encouraging for those who believe in global warming and want to do their bit for the environment.

For more news and travel information about Cyprus visit yourcyprus.info Independent comments from holidaymakers who are on the island now are available with social media like facebook and myspace

The Daily Mirror in the UK suggested some hotels that could be worth considering if you’re planning a trip to Cyprus:

1. Almyra, Paphos

One of the best-kept secrets in the Mediterranean, this boutique Cyprus hotel aims to help new parents have a great holiday by lending a range of equipment, including baby gyms, changing mats and bottle warmers, all free of charge.

The hotel can also arrange for food and nappies to be waiting in your room. It’s in a bay just outside Paphos and adult guests will find all the comforts of home, including a Toni & Guy hair salon, while the centre of town is only a 10-minute walk away - if you can drag yourself away from the designer sun loungers and infinity pool. The deal: from £78pp per night with Design Hotels (www.designhotels.com).

2. St Raphael Resort, Limassol

There are indoor and outdoor pools and a private beach at this family getaway near the Amathus ruins. There are large gardens, tennis courts and a gym.

The deal: Expedia (www.expedia.co.uk, 0871 226 0808) has seven nights with easyJet flights and B&B for £643pp.

3. Napa Mermaid, Ayia Napa

Freshly glammed up, this hotel near - but not too near - the clubs of Ayia Napa is great for grown-ups who want to mix hedonism with some serious chilling out.

The deal: Thomson (www.thomson.co.uk, 0871 231 5595) has seven nights B&B, including flights and transfers, from £1,090pp.

4. Palm Beach Hotel & Garden Suites, Larnaca

With its palm-filled garden, swimming pools and spa, the Palm Beach is an island favourite.

More Cyprus hotels including Thompsons Holidays are available with yourcyprus.info

A good article has appeared in the Scottish newspaper, the Press & Journal, about golf holidays in Cyprus:

For years, Portugal and Spain have enjoyed something of a monopoly on the finest golfing destinations in the Mediterranean, but they may be about to face quite a challenge from Cyprus.

When it comes to golf, Cyprus is the new kid on the block – it boasts only three courses, but there are ambitious plans for another 14 in the next few years to turn the island into another golfer’s paradise.

If the impressive courses at Aphrodite Hills, Secret Valley and Minthis Hills are anything to go by, Cyprus is well on its way to becoming a utopia for golfers of all abilities.

I teed off my experience in the opulent surroundings of the Aphrodite Hills Resort, a fabulous five-star development on a plateau overlooking Petra tou Romiou, the legendary birthplace of Aphrodite, the goddess of love.

This resort oozes elegance, with many of its 290 rooms and suites fit for a king, but it also boasts an 18-hole championship golf course designed by Cabell Robinson, Europe’s leading course architect.

It’s spectacular, but for 150 euros a round, you expect something special. Built on a mountain, it is separated by a dramatic ravine, so buggies are essential to complete the course in a day.

The drive from second green to third tee is about a kilometre in itself, but this is nothing compared with the perilous, rollercoaster-style descent to the seventh.

You drive your cart down narrow twists and turns, not daring to take your eyes off the road ahead, to reach a glorious tee shot over a 160m gorge towards a luscious green surrounded by olive and carob trees.

The next hole is again impressive, with the massive eighth green seeming to teeter on the edge of the Mediterranean. Every hole is an event in itself, and is a fantastic experience.

Aphrodite Hills has plenty for golf widows and families, too: it also features a first-class tennis academy, a beach club and a multipurpose sports court for children with anything from volleyball to mini-football.

The surrounding region of Paphos is steeped in local history and culture, too: taste the local vintage at a nearby winery and wine museum, or try the handiwork at workshops which turn out traditional Cypriot clay pots.

Completing our rounds in near darkness, we headed back to base, the five-star Columbia Beach Resort, in the picturesque coastal village of Pissouri, for a traditional Cypriot meze, a constant supply of small dishes of meat and fish, including delicious barbecued octopus, all cooked to perfection.

Smaller than Aphrodite Hills resort, the Columbia is equally luxurious.

With elegant suites around the main pool, a stone’s throw from the sea, this hotel is rightly regarded as one of the best in the region. After a day’s golf, what better way to relax than in the hotel’s spa, with highly trained therapists on hand to massage aches and strains away?

Next up was Secret Valley Golf Club, a short drive from Aphrodite Hills and a course within a colourful, picturesque valley – an “easier” proposition than the previous day, but hardly one to be taken lightly.

The course has a stunning new clubhouse, redeveloped in 2006, and manager Stelios Patsalides summed up the course perfectly: “The views of the surroundings, combined with the design efforts, create a unique and memorable golfing experience.”

Quite right. Although less glamorous, Secret Valley still had an air of grandeur in the setting of a natural amphitheatre with the hills looming up to create a bowl.

It felt the most “British” of the three – and the rain we encountered made us feel decidedly British, too.

While we got drenched by a heavy downpour – rare in these parts, but welcome for the rain-starved country – this was Cyprus, so we were soon dry and the round was completed in bright sunshine.

We then moved up the road to Paphos, a city festooned in history and an archaeology lover’s delight, whether it be the immaculately preserved mosaics at the House of Dionysus, near the popular harbour, or the World Heritage Site of the Tombs of the Kings.

Our home for the next couple of nights was the impressive Almyra Hotel, the first hotel built in Paphos in 1972. Originally the Paphos Beach Hotel, it was renamed Almyra after a huge renovation in 2003.

A very modern-feeling complex, the hotel offers the ultimate in “resort chic”, and our Aethon Sea View rooms resembled mini-villas with a balcony overlooking the sea. We lived like kings for two days.

One of the main selling points of the Almyra is the Almyra Spa, which promises “to create a holistic approach through health, beauty and fitness”.

With luxury treatments ranging from Fragrant Flower Rituals to Mountain Herb Retreats, the spa provides a pampering to ease any painful memories of poor shots on the fairways.

Our final golfing destination was Minthis Hills, near the village of Tsada, just 15km north-east of Paphos, another venue of breathtaking beauty.

Built in 1994 by Donald Steel, the course underwent massive renovation before reopening in June 2007. A new clubhouse is under construction.

The club’s temporary base, a ramshackle-style building, might lack the “wow factor”, but the course has that in spades. Afterwards, the clubhouse restaurant served a cracking mixed grill.

At 550m above sea level and with meandering hills all around, Minthis provides a stunning vista of the Cypriot countryside and offers a really challenging 18 holes.

The stand-out hole is the 14th, right on the edge of the course, where the tee has been cut out of the side of a hill, with a drive over a valley of out-of-bounds shrubbery and olive trees, with ominous perils awaiting those brave enough to have a blast at the hole perched above the valley some 250m away.

Just enjoying the beautiful Cypriot sunshine and countryside was a delight in itself, but to do it while playing a round was pure heaven.

If you are seeking a new challenge, Cyprus is definitely the place to take your clubs to. And make it snappy before the secret’s out about a new golfing paradise.

Time to go: Spring and early autumn – it’s not too hot and the island is in bloom. To read the full article click here

For more details about Cyprus, including reviews of the hotels in Cyprus visit yourcyprus.info

Also available are villas on and near golf courses, with some good offers for Cyprus villa holidays

A good article appeared recently in the UK local newspaper the Express & Star about accommodation in Cyprus, and they write:

More and more people are shopping around when it comes to booking holidays and searching for a real bargain.

Trawling through holiday brochures has been replaced with the slicker process of internet browsing, and the current economic pressures that many people are facing also mean that the price that a potential holiday costs is the first thing on people’s minds: if a holiday is not affordable then many people will not have the money to enjoy the destination on offer.

Looking for the perfect hotel is fairly straightforward and there are plenty of potential destinations for people to choose from, especially within Europe. One of the most popular areas for holidaymakers who are seeking a week in the sun is the islands of the Mediterranean Sea, with great value package holidays available to a wide variety of Mediterranean resorts. British tourists visit this area in their millions every year and certain hotspots have become particularly popular with young Brits.

The Mediterranean island of Cyprus is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea and one of its most popular tourist destinations. The island is split into two halves, with Turkish Cypriots in the north separated from Greek Cypriots in the south. The island was integrated into the European Union in 2004 and since then the price of holidays there has decreased to a large extent and more tourists visit every year.

Plenty of cheap hotels are available for tourists in the resort of Ayia Napa, which has become something of a party capital and offers an alternative to similar resorts such as Ibiza. Four star accommodation Euronapa occupies a central location within the busy resort, whilst the three star Anthea Hotel Apartments are also ideally located, being just a five minute walk from the resort centre and nearest beach.

The selection of Cheap hotels available for tourists in the Cypriot resort of Ayia Napa are ideal for younger holiday goers who are planning to party long into the night and make the most of every single minute of their holiday. The great value accommodation is also perfect for visitors who don’t plan on visiting the nightclubs on offer, as away from the vibrant resorts are romantic bays and marvellous scenery that many tourists will be in awe of. To read the full article click here

For more information about Cyprus and a country profile visit yourcyprus.info - included is a Cyprus map

An interesting article in the travel section of the UK newspaper The Independent appeared recently:

From up there, you can see everything,” said the speedboat’s grizzled captain, pointing skywards with a grin and a wink. And with that, he snapped me into my parachute, leant on the boat’s throttle – and lifted me gently from the deck and into the air, attached only by the slenderest of ropes to the back of his craft as it bounced through the waves beneath me.

It was my first experience of parasailing – and as I flew like a modern-day Icarus, in sunglasses and swimsuit, hundreds of feet up, with the cristalline waters of the eastern Mediterranean stretching to infinity beneath me, it really did seem as if the whole of Cyprus was laid out for my inspection below.

There were the famous beaches, smart hotels and fish restaurants of Ayia Napa, which have drawn visitors to this coast for decades; there was the magnificent rocky headland of Cape Greco, home to tiny coves and some of Europe’s best snorkelling; beyond that loomed the peaks of the Troodos Mountains, the island’s most surprising landscape, with its hill villages, cool forests and trout streams; and finally, over there – a few kilometres into the hazy distance – was the abandoned city of Famagusta, once Cyprus’s most popular resort, but under foreign occupation since the Turkish invasion of 1974, a poignant reminder of its troubled past and still-divided present.

We had come to sample a little of Cypriot life and the distinctive culture of this ancient land that has been coveted by so many – including the British – down the centuries. But first a few days of unashamed relaxation seemed in order – this was a holiday, after all! – so we booked ourselves into the modern-day Republic’s most celebrated hotel, the InterContinental Aphrodite Hills Resort – one of Conde Nast Traveller’s “hottest places to stay in the world” no less – with its spectacular swimming pools, private beach club, tennis academy, golf course and 578 acres of protected parkland on a hillside overlooking the island’s south-west coast. It proved the perfect first base – though the wonderfully attentive staff, the friendly atmosphere, the manicured grounds and the molten sunsets from the open terrace of the rooftop bar meant we could happily never have left.

Suitably refreshed, however, we finally ventured west to view the ancient ruins and mosaics of Pafos, south to watch the ships pass by the bustling port town of Limassol, north to the fascinating walled city of Nicosia, the world’s last partitioned capital. We drove up into the hills to nibble on stickily preserved fruits in the enchanting village of Kakopetria, where shady squares brought welcome respite from the summer heat.

And finally, we journeyed east to Cyprus’s party capital, where we rented Sommer Villa, a simple but comfortable modern house with the bonus of a small private pool in the laidback resort of Protoras, a few kilometres along the coast from Ayia Napa. It proved an ideal bolthole from which to explore the island’s best beaches, with their turquoise shallows and demerara sands (our tips: the glorious sweep in front of the Grecian Bay Hotel and the unspoiled crescent down the winding path to Konnos Bay) – and a memorable place, too, for one’s first parasailing adventure. To read the rest of the article click here

For information about holidays in Cyprus visit http://www.yourcyprus.info

Government figures just released have confirmed our February report that the number of people visiting the island for a holiday dropped by ten per cent last year - The AFP news agency for example report:

Cyprus tourist arrivals plunged 10.9 percent in 2009, the government’s statistics office reported on Wednesday, bringing more bad news to the recession-hit economy.

The recession in Europe is now taking its toll on the Mediterranean holiday island whose tourism-reliant economy is expected to contract by 0.5 percent in 2009 and grow by the same amount this year.

Between January and December, 2.14 million tourist arrivals were recorded, compared with 2.40 million in the same period a year earlier.

In December, arrivals were 66,201 against 72,102 in December 2008 — a sizeable year-on-year decline of 8.2 percent.

Tourism contributes around 12 percent of the island’s GDP and the majority of visitors come from European countries badly hit by the global recession.

There was a 10.3 percent decline in arrivals from Britain, the island’s largest source of holidaymakers, and a lower 7.8 percent dip from Germany.

However, the number of Greek tourists rose by 3.2 percent to reach 11,381.

The figures are slightly worse than the government’s projected 10 percent fall in arrivals due to the global financial crisis.

To help ease the crisis, Cypriots have been urged to holiday at home with subsidised hotel stays for lower income groups.

More details about Cyprus including reviews for the Cyprus hotels are available at http://www.yourcyprus.info

For those who enjoy some exercise and seeing the parts of the island that tourists might not otherwise see, relaxingworldtravel.com recently reported on walking holidays in Cyprus:

This spring the Columbia Beach Resort, in the panoramic bay of Pissouri, offers short breaks for people who would like to explore Cyprus on foot to see its unique fauna and flora, and to experience some of the culture that the island is famous for. Cyprus offers the perfect destination for a walking holiday, whatever your level of fitness and the Columbia Beach Resort offers a stylish base for those who want a little luxury along with their exercise. The southern valleys of the island offer gentle paths for ambling along or try the spectacular Troodos Mountains and coastal paths or something more demanding.

This award-winning five star hotel will provide a guide for walkers and transport where needed. Here are three varied walking tours as recommended by the Columbia Beach Resort:

1. Walk the “Path of Aphrodite” on the Akamas peninsula just an hour’s drive north from the Resort. A natural spring fills a picturesque pool surrounded by greenery where mythology suggests that Aphrodite, goddess of love, used to bathe. The Baths of Aphrodite are where Aphrodite is supposed to have met her lover, the handsome Adonis, when he stopped for a drink while hunting. The moment he drank the water, Adonis fell in love with the goddess. The walking tour takes approximately three hours, is medium level in terms of difficulty, following the slender coastal paths with their impressive views across the Mediterranean at Cap Arnautis. Go in spring and see the splendour of the early blooming wild flowers too.
2. Or stay close to the hotel and enjoy its spectacular two kilometre beach framed by the white cliffs of Cape Aspro and the vineyards and orchards in the valleys behind. A gentle walk will reveal the native flowers and plants that grow in this part of the island that are constantly changing with the seasons but in spring are particularly colourful. There are more than 40 different species of orchids in vibrant colours to be discovered. And rugged cliffs surrounding the bay are a well-known nesting ground for Griffon vultures.

3. Cyprus wines are becoming recognised outside its community as a plethora of small independent wineries have emerged in recent years to make the most of the almost perfect growing conditions. The Columbia Beach Resort also offers a walking tour in the Troodos Mountains through some of its vineyards. Starting at a height of 800m at the mountain village of Panagia, the birth place of Makarios, former archbishop and President of Cyprus, the tour visits the famous Byzantine mountain monastery Chrysorroyiatissa. Now a renowned winery this is where the tour stops for tastings of the wine which has been produced since 1984 in large earthenware jars, or pithariars.

Then spend time in the Resort’s renowned Columbia spa – perfect therapy for aching limbs or just for some pampering. And enjoy the celebrated cuisine of the Columbia Beach Resort knowing that you will burn off the calories the next day.

A four night stay at the Columbia Beach Resort in Junior Suite costs from £460 / 520 Euros including breakfast (cost per suite which sleeps two people). Transfers from the nearest airport Pafos is £38 / 43 Euros one way. Costs of a guide and flights are not included. Cyprusairways.com, ba.com and Easyjet.com all fly regularly to Cyprus.

The distinctive architecture of the Resort is inspired by local Cypriot villages featuring low rise buildings in local stone. The sloping roofs furnished with reclaimed terracotta tiles and shutters on the windows and abundance of natural wood give this hotel a discreetly aged and traditional look, landscaped so that old and new blend together. The 94 suites in this all-suite hotel are arranged in ‘villas’ clustered around the 80m lagoon style pool that flows into the Columbia Spa.  To read the full article click here

For cheap Cyprus flights visit http://www.yourcyprus.info

Cyprus has centuries of history mixed with modern holiday facilities, great beaches and the Mediterranean, and the island has enjoyed a good tourist industry over the years.

But destinations newly offered in Europe to tourists has taken away some of her visitors to pastures new - notably Egypt and Turkey.

Last year the number of people taking holidays in Cyprus fell by over ten per cent, leaving many hotels with plenty of empty bedrooms and restaurants and bars taking on fewer locals.

A dual impact of the recession in Europe and the impact of the cost of Euros for British tourists can be identified as the reasons for the decline - holidays in Cyprus are as attractive as they have even been and the weather in Cyprus lived up to those who did visit expectations.

Apart from the volume of Europeans taking holidays anywhere last year falling for the first time in a long while, cheaper destinations outside of the Eurozone were promoted heavily by tour operators in the important UK market.

Hotels in Egypt and Turkey are less expensive than Cyprus, and while some savings are passed on by tour operators to the consumer, it is also more profitable for the tour operators to sell the Egyptian and Turkish hotels than the hotels in Cyprus.

But bad news for the Cyprus holiday industry isn’t necessarily bad news for the tourist - quieter restaurants, more space on the beach and some good offers for late booked Cyprus holidays all add up to why a trip there now will make sense for those who are considering it.

Villa holidays could well come down in price as well as specialist companies reduce their prices for villa holidays in Cyprus this summer and autumn.

A week’s holiday in Cyprus in June for example with Thomson Holidays starts from just over 400 Sterling a person - and that includes both flights and a hotel in Limassol, with transfers to and from the airport for arriving and departing flights to Cyprus.

And better than that even is from Thomas Cook Holidays who are offering seven nights with flights, with the hotel in Larnaca, at under 340 Sterling a person - cheaper than a lot of holidays at home!

Continuing with good value, James Villas are offering a 3 bedroom 2 bathroom villa within walking distance of the holiday town of Coral Bay - even with two adults it works out at less than 450 sterling a person.

A profile of the island is available by visiting http://www.yourcyprus.info

We’ve seen an excellent article by Tom Aspell, NBC News Correspondent.

Here’s an extract:

The credit crunch, coupled with the high cost of tourist services, is suddenly making Cyprus much more expensive. British tour operators have warned Cyprus that unless it slashes its costs, they will encourage customers to go to Turkey or other cheaper holiday spots around the Mediterranean.

It was a wakeup call to the Cyprus tourist industry. At least $50 million of the latest cash injection will be aimed at attracting more foreign visitors. Hoteliers will slash their value-added tax from 8 percent to 5 percent, and the government will waive airport surcharges, enabling airlines flying to Cyprus to cut their ticket prices. There will also be reductions in utilities bills and municipal taxes for hotels. It’s hoped that will enable tour operators to offer cheaper packages.

Farah Shammas of the San Rafael Hotel in Limmassol welcomed the changes.

“It’s definitely been a positive move on the part of the government,” Shammas said. “Tourism is a vital part of the Cypriot economy, and it’s nice that the government is recognizing this. We’re doing our best, but we are facing stiff competition from other Mediterranean countries who give generous tax breaks to their hotels. Last year was really difficult for hotels in Cyprus, but this year now looks a little better. It’s a nice gesture.”

To read more of Tom Aspell’s blog and this story click here

Given the quality of many of the hotels in Cyprus, a surprisingly high number of tourists stay away from the island’s hotels and stay elesewhere - with the recession this trend is likely to continue.

Not everyone thinks that a holiday means having to stay in a hotels.  Some countries just offer so much more for tourists to stay in while enjoying the country. Cyprus happens to be one tourist mecca that offers visitors alternative accommodation to traditional hotels.

Statistics indicate that only about 48 percent of visitors to Cyprus actually stay in hotels. Information from Cyprus’ Statistical Service revealed that less than half the tourists stayed in hotels.

Alternative Accommodation In Cyprus

Some popular rooming options for visitors to the island include the following:

o Staying with relatives and friends: Some tourists opt to stay with friends or relatives while visiting Cyprus. There are many benefits from going this route apart from the monetary savings. Friends and relatives have an ear to what’s happening in Cyprus and help make a holiday more memorable.  Recommendations of good beaches to enjoy the Cyprus weather , splitting the cost of food and even transportation makes this a popular cost-saving method for the thrifty holidaymaker. Guests can offer to reciprocate so that the host can stay with them when they go on holiday.

o Apartments: These can be self-contained, or daily or twice weekly often is included with the rental. They generally cost less than hotels. If apartments are rented by a group, everyone pays less.

o House swapping: This involves swapping houses, whether residential or vacation homes, with others in various countries or regions. This is normally free, and guests only cover food and small incidentals. Finding people to swap houses with is possible through word-of-mouth or websites dedicated to this.

o Self catering villas: There are many such vacation accommodations to choose from in Cyprus. Tourists can save money by staying at these villas if they are willing to take care of their own needs. Since visitors do not have anyone cooking for them, the cost of these villas and apartments is much less than traditional hotels.

With the recession hitting both the USA and Europe, people are looking at cutting costs for their 2009 holidays. Vacations to other countries have taken a downward turn especially in the US and Britain. Savvy tourists have turned to cheaper accommodation to make their vacations happen.

The list of alternative and cheaper accommodation above offers some of the options available to tourists. They are attractive alternatives because, unlike hotels, they typically don’t increase rates based on number of occupants.

One popular way of cutting costs while having holidays in Cyprus or and elsewhere is to share villas and hotel rooms with friends. This results in significant savings as the cost of everything is divided among the guests. These kinds of arrangements work well with close family members, friends or college students. Motor homes as vacation accommodation are also beginning to find favour with tourists, especially since fuel costs have come down again from the highs seen in the summer and early autumn months.

Most of the alternatives to hotels allow tourists to prepare their own meals. By preparing their own meals, tourists will realise substantial savings as well. The decision to prepare meals instead of eating at a hotel is even more important with larger groups.

With these kinds of cost saving methods, tourists will find that their major expense is just the airfare. Travelling and enjoying your vacation without spending a lot is possible as long as research is done to find the right accommodation. Normally, the hotel is the most expensive component of any holiday. If this cost can be controlled by finding cheaper or free accommodations, vacations are possible even during a recession.