Cyprus, which currently holds the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU, will host 27 European leaders first in the resort city of Ayia Napa on April 23 and then in the capital, Nicosia, on April 24.
As Politico notes, for Cyprus the summit is not just a diplomatic event but also a campaign to reassure the public.
Cyprus lies just 1,200 kilometers from Iran. In early March, a Shahed drone struck a British military base on the island, triggering a wave of travel cancellations as foreign governments urged their citizens to avoid trips.
“Cyprus is offering a new argument for concerned holidaymakers: if it is safe enough for 27 EU leaders, then it is surely safe enough for your beach vacation,” the article says.
Antonis Orphanides, a spokesman for the Cyprus Association of Tourist Enterprises (ACTTA), said that visual perception matters.
“We hope this summit will be the start of a process that will help people regain confidence that Cyprus is a safe place. If you come to Cyprus, you will see that there is nothing to fear,” he said.
Tourism accounts for about 15% of Cyprus’ economy, so the arrival of a large EU delegation has its benefits.
“Many people who work for the EU will come. So it will bring some money,” Orphanides added.
An EU official said the summit is also intended to demonstrate support for Cyprus after several important meetings on the island were postponed at the start of the war in Iran.
Politico noted that airfare prices have surged due to rising fuel costs. Some round-trip tickets from Brussels have exceeded 1,000 euros, a “painful blow” for an island that relies on air links to stay connected with the rest of Europe.
At the same time, officials have no illusions that the EU summit will fully offset the damage suffered by Cyprus, even if it helps restore tourist confidence.
“Clearly, we will not reach last year’s record figures. It has affected March and it has also affected April,” Cyprus Tourism Minister Kostas Koumis said.
On the night of March 2, a drone attacked the RAF Akrotiri air base in Cyprus. There were no casualties, and the base sustained “minor damage.” The same day, Greece deployed frigates and F-16 Fighting Falcon jets to Cyprus.
The United Kingdom sent the destroyer HMS Dragon, the landing ship RFA Lyme Bay and helicopters to the region.
On March 17, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukrainian defense technologies could help protect the British air base in Cyprus.