Newsroom
Cyprus is preparing for an influx of around 20,000 visitors from across the EU and beyond during its upcoming six-month presidency of the Council of the European Union, President Nikos Christodoulides said Wednesday.
Speaking at Larnaca Airport, where a new postcard exhibition has just opened, the president said the island is already on track for another record year in arrivals, thanks, he added, to close cooperation between the government and Hermes Airports.
The exhibition, titled “A Journey to the EU, Through the Lens of Time,” features 250 vintage postcards from Cyprus and all 26 other EU member states. The cards come from the collection of the late Antonis Hatzipanagis and were curated by his son, journalist Panikos Hatzipanagis.
Christodoulides described the display as a window into the early 20th century, a time when sending a message meant handwriting a card, handing it over, and waiting days or weeks for it to arrive. “It may feel old-fashioned today,” he said, “but postcards still have a charm that’s worth remembering for the older generations and discovering for the younger ones.”
The president noted that Cyprus held a similar exhibition during its first EU presidency in 2012, this time in Athens. Now, with thousands of officials, experts, and attendees expected to pass through the island for meetings and events tied to the presidency, he said the exhibition serves as a meaningful introduction to Cyprus’ European role.
He added that the country is ready for the surge in traffic. “Both last year and this year, we are reaching historic records at our airports,” he said. “That’s a direct result of our strong cooperation with Hermes Airports.”
With the presidency approaching and visitor numbers already on the rise, the island is preparing for a busy and highly visible year ahead.
