Bad blood between towns over tourism college

It has been described as the most important piece of work in decades for Paphos, but TEPAK’s decision to open a tourism college out west did not sit well with the mayor of the university’s hometown.

Last month Paphos Municipality and TEPAK had struck a deal to establish a program for hospitality and tourism management in the western coastal town, putting an end to a long and protracted conversation with the two parties and the government.

Paphos Mayor Phedonas Phedonos praised the decision saying his town was becoming an important center for higher education, citing additional plans for innovation and development.

But on Thursday, Limassol Mayor Nicos Nicolaides took to the radio waves to criticize the decision, saying his municipality was never consulted or even told ahead of time that Cyprus University of Technology (TEPAK) had chosen Paphos to launch a school of tourism in 2023.

Nicolaides, who was a guest on morning state radio, spoke of a 30-year-plan in Limassol that encompassed tourism and related industries, saying the city was also counting on TEPAK to be a driving force.

“But apparently we were not in the loop of things,” the mayor said.

A day earlier Nicolaides and fellow mayors from Limassol district, along with the city’s professional commerce associations, said they were bothered by TEPAK’s decision.

Asked if he wished for the decision to be undone, the mayor did not respond but said he wanted an explanation over the logic of the decision including how the university had formulated its specific goals

The new school in Paphos will offer college-level academic programs and practical training in the field of tourism and hospitality management, essentially creating conditions where students could easily fulfill their practicum obligations in the fields of tourism, travel, and hospitality industries, as well as business management and new technology.