Starting the year with the East Safari Rally, on 16-17 February

 For yet another year, PETROLINA supports the world of motor sports by sponsoring the PETROLINA Racing team in the 2019 Cyprus Rally Championship. Once again, the Team is made up of 6 racing crews, led by two-time champion Simos Galatariotis, Alexandros Tsouloftas, Christos Demosthenous, Panayiotis and Yiangos Yiangou and Kostas Laos.

This year’s Cyprus Rally Championship will start off with the East Safari Rally race, which will be held in the free Famagusta area, on the weekend of 16-17 February 2019. The race is organised by the Famagusta Motor Sport Club (member of CSO) and features a large number of participants as well as high speeds, especially in the very challenging route of “Halospitia”.

PETROLINA Racing Team will participate with the following crews:

• Simos Galatariotis – Antonis Ioannou driving a Skoda Fabia R5
• Alexandros Tsouloftas – Antonis Chrysostomou driving a Citroen DS3 R5
• Panayiotis Yiangou – Panayiotis Kyriakou, driving a Hyundai i20 R5
• Christos Demosthenous – Constantinos Pavlou, driving a Mitsubishi Lancer EVO X

• Yiangos Yiangou – Doros Evangelou, driving a Subaru Impreza STi N12

The East Safari Rally starts and ends at Agios Georgios Square in Paralimni where the award ceremony will also be held. For more information on the Rally you can visit the official website: www.webcfm.com

Sport holds a prominent position in PETROLINA’s corporate social responsibility programme and the Company has consistently supported motor racing throughout the years.

Louis Hotels received important distinctions from the independent online tour agency Tripadvisor. Based on customer comments and reviews during 2018, a total of three Louis Hotels’ units, were ranked among the top-25 European Hotels in the “Best All-Inclusive Resorts in Europe” category and received “Tripadvisor Travelers Choice Awards 2019”. In more detail, Louis Ledra Beach ranked 7th, while Louis Phaethon Beach ranked 12th, and Louis Kerkyra Golf was ranked 18th. Also, St. Elias Resort was ranked among the top-25 “Best Family Hotels in Europe”.

The King Jason Protaras was voted as the best hotel in Cyprus while The King Jason Paphos was ranked 3rd in the same category. King Jason Protaras was also among the top 25 of the best hotels in Europe, and among the honors it received were “Best Service Hotel in Europe” and “Top Hotel for Romance in Europe”. Louis Imperial Beach ranked as the 10th best hotel in Cyprus while Louis Ledra Beach ranked 13th, The Royal Apollonia ranked 22nd and Louis Phaethon ranked 25th.

Louis Hotels in Greece also received high distinctions. Among them in 5th place was Louis Kerkyra Golf and in 9th place Sentido Louis Plagos Beach in the Top-25 All-Inclusive Resorts in Greece.

“Tripadvisor Traveler Choice Awards” are among the most prestigious distinctions of the tourism industry worldwide because they are derived from the evaluation of hotel guests. In detail, the ranking is based on the quality and quantity of visitors’ ratings. Each winner receives a quality certificate from Tripadvisor.

Louis Hotels were also distinguished by Booking.com, the largest booking site with the “Guest Review Awards 2018”. Twelve Louis Hotels’ units which scored more than 8 with 10 being the top score, received a distinction. The highest scores were marked by Louis Althea Kalamies with 9.1/10, The King Jason Paphos with 8.9/10 and The Royal Apollonia with 8.9/10. Booking.com’s distinctions are also based on ratings and reviews of hotel guests.

All the distinctions received by Louis Hotels are indicative of the group’s development as well as the high standards of hospitality that the group offers.

Fred Olsen Cruise Lines have instructed Century Travel as their representative in Cyprus for sales of their Worldwide cruises.

Fred Olsen Cruise Lines prides itself on bringing the world ‘closer’ to its guests, made possible by the smaller, more intimate, size of its four ocean ships – Balmoral, Braemar, Boudicca and Black Watch – and it’s river boat Brabant.

In 2018, the cruise lines celebrated its 170th anniversary of shipping, with its heritage beginning in 1848 when Olsen brothers Frederik Christian, Petter and Andreas Olsen purchased their first ships operating from Hvisten, Norway. Since then the company has seen considerable growth, operating cargo vessels and cruise ships around the world. The company is now in its fifth generation of the Olsen family, with Fred. Olsen Jnr as Chairman.

In 2019/20, Fred. Olsen will be visiting no fewer than 219 destinations in 75 countries around the globe, including calls to and from Limassol, aboard 880-guest Boudicca.

The Boudicca has built up a loyal following of guests who appreciate a sense of class and timeless elegance not seen or experienced on modern ‘megaships’. On board, in keeping with the Fred. Olsen fleet, the emphasis is on providing an intimate and more traditional cruise experience, with guests disembarking after their relaxing and rewarding holiday as friends, not just guests.

Michelle Tingley, Specialist Sales for Fred Olsen Cruise Lines, said: ‘We recognise the demand for cruise departures from Limassol and are delighted to appoint Century Travel as our representative in Cyprus because of their specialist knowledge of cruising in the region.  We look forward to carrying many passengers from Cyprus in 2019, 2020 and beyond.’

‘We have been working hard over the last couple of years to bring as many cruise lines to Cyprus as we can’ says Vicky Lewis, Head of Operations for Century Travel. ‘Our clients want more choice and a selection of itineraries, as well as longer voyages.  The introduction of cruises with Fred Olsen now brings the total to 3 cruise lines and we are excited to bring more departures to those living in Cyprus.’

More details on departures for 2020 from Limassol with Fred Olsen Cruise Lines can be found on the Century Travel website at www.centurycyprus.com

Collaboration between the MECIT and the EBRD is helping numerous SMEs in Cyprus boost their growth potential

In May 2017, a three-year cooperation agreement between the Ministry of Energy, Commerce, Industry and Tourism (MECIT) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), in supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) registered and operating in the Republic of Cyprus, was signed. A year and a half later, the programme “Advice for Small Businesses” provides us with an overview of the achieved results.

Throughout the period from June 2017 to December 2018 the EBRD co-funded 56 business advisory projects with local consultants out of which, 19 of them have already been completed. The total net cost of these projects amounts to €610K, while the amount of grants provided totals to €390K.

It is worth noting that beneficiary SMEs operate in more than 10 different industries, including wholesale & retail trade (23%) and food & beverages production (16%). Business advisory services purchased by the beneficiary SMEs related to quality management (34%), marketing (18%), strategy (18%) and organizational design (16%).

In addition, the co-funding of 3 business advisory projects with international industry advisors is under way with a total net cost of €170K, while the total of grants provided amounting to €150K. Beneficiary SMEs operate in creative industries, the automotive and the bakery & confectionaries sectors.

In 2018 the EBRD also organised a conference entitled “Reshaping the hospitality industry – Challenges and opportunities for Cypriot SMEs”. The conference was addressed to Cyprus-based, hospitality-oriented SMEs and was attended by more than 70 participants. The objective of the conference was to provide SMEs in the hospitality sector with an insight into worldwide trends and parameters affecting their companies. They were also informed about business advisory options and funding opportunities offered by the EBRD.

Three specialised trainings were organised both in Nicosia and in Limassol where 30 local consultants were given the opportunity to enhance their capabilities and increase capacity to deliver business advisory services to the Cypriot SMEs. The launch of “Women in Business Programme” also took place in February 2018, in the framework of which a one-year mentoring scheme for 20 women entrepreneurs was introduced, as well as specialised trainings addressed to women entrepreneurs.

In view of 2019, both the EBRD and the MECIT remain committed to support SMEs. The objective is to co-fund 48 more projects with local consultants, as well as 4 with international industry experts; the EBRD will place extra focus on strengthening the exporting capacity of SMEs by organizing an ‘export readiness’ training and co-financing export promotion projects targeted at helping local producers expand the business abroad. New businesses will be supported with several specialized coaching schemes, which will combine: trainings, individual coaching and workshops. Several sector-specific events and trainings for both SMEs and consultants will also be organised.

 In sum, the “Advice for Small Businesses” programme foresees to assist over 120 SMEs (over the course of three years) to improve their competitiveness and strengthen their performance by providing financial support in the form of grants for the engagement of local consultants or international industry advisers. All different types of business advisory services are supported, such as strategy, marketing, organization, operations, ICT, quality management, energy efficiency etc. The programme is implemented by the EBRD, in collaboration with MECIT, and is co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

For more information about the “Advice for Small Businesses” programme contact EBRD at: +357 22 395 508 or knowhowcyprus@ebrd.com.

Reflect Festival is the largest future casting festival between Southern Europe and the Middle East. For the second time, trendsetters, decision-makers, pioneers and challengers of our time will come and challenge the status quo of our current age and present possibilities the future.

In May 2019, over 1000 attendees – entrepreneurs, managers, innovators, students, future enthusiasts will meet in Limassol, Cyprus together with 60 speakers from over 30 countries to get inspired and think beyond today.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

The aeromobile

Among the notable speakers of Reflect, the Founder of Aeromobil, a pioneer flying-car company, the first human Android citizen Sophia, one of the early investors at Spotify, the Head of AI at Adobe, the Founder & CEO of Jungle Creations, the CEO at JIVR, an electric folding bike brand, the Business Development Manager at NVIDIA and many more world innovators will join festival. For more speakers check out www.reflectfest.com.

Reflect will take place at Carob Mill, located in the heart of Limassol, next to the Limassol medieval castle. The area is surrounded by restaurants, bars and cafes and is next to the Limassol marina and the lively old port square.

Be part of the festival where the history of the future is being shared!

Find out more information about tickets and speakers on www.reflectfest.com. The list of speakers will continue to grow and new key people will be added soon.

On board for this year are already European University Cyprus (Golden Partner), Hellenic Bank, Elias Neocleous & Co LLC, KPMG (Silver Partners), Taxify (Transportation Partner), Jarvify, Cyprus Mail, Premiere Media Group and Heart Cyprus (Media Partners).

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

Only a few months into the new year, Property Gallery and HKCY Hotels are ready to proceed with the construction works of the new development project Dream Tower, currently finalizing the overall resurgence plan.

Lyra Amvrosidou, CEO of Property Gallery, confirms that Dream Tower is, indeed, a sophisticated architectural project, which already obtains its planning permit; a reality that offers an additional advantage alongside many others, the project brings to the mix. “Dream Tower,” added Ms. Amvrosidou, “attracts the attention of major prospective investors for its exquisite design, expert crafting, premium location and uninterrupted sea-view.”

The project’s pre-sales are currently in progress, reporting an unprecedented flow of interest amongst major investors, with 20% of its residences currently been sold out.

Featuring 55 one to four-bedroom apartments, as well as duplex penthouse and Sky Garden apartments, Dream Tower residences aim to combine premium aesthetics with elevated comfort and high functionality. Homeowners and tenants will enjoy premium amenities and exclusive resident-only areas and facilities.

Property Gallery Holdings Ltd together with its affiliates is one of the leading companies in property development and sales in Limassol area and is widely associated with superior quality, design and innovation receiving 27 international awards so far

In the ever-shifting digital marketing landscape, swiftly adapting to current trends is an absolute necessity, or you’ll risk lagging behind the competition. And digital marketers have to be more alert than ever before, responding to major shifts and social media feature roll-outs. Here are some top trends that you’ll need to pay great attention to in 2019 if you want your brand or company to really stand out!

1. Micro-moments

Phone usage is increasing every year, with 96% of users worldwide spending 1-7 hours daily on their phones (the majority, 29%, spend 3-5 hours) creating an abundance of what is now known as ‘micro-moments’. Google defines micro-moments as moments when a user turns to their phone to satisfy an immediate need: to buy something, to go somewhere, to do something or to get information about something.

You need to identify and anticipate these high-intent moments so your company and brand can be both current and useful. Have you perhaps spotted that a given user has been searching for a Cyprus vacation over the weekend? It’s then very likely that they’ll look up more information on Cyprus the next day. If your client is a hotel or any other hospitality enterprise in Cyprus, you need to grab their attention with a targeted ad when the user is expected to check his/her phone.

Other examples of ‘micro-moments’ are the brief windows when people wake up (people usually get up at around the same time every day and are expected to check their phone within 15 minutes after they wake up), downtime at work, and during their daily commute. Work in identifying these moments for your target audience and watch your online engagement soar!

2. Micro-influencers

Take a moment to think about one of the main issues with traditional TV ads. You have very little control over whether or not they will reach your target audience, while you also to compete with a wide array of other companies that have paid for ads in the same time slot as you. Social media, chiefly Instagram, gave rise to a new venue for advertising via influencers, who can push your brand to a more specific audience. But much like advertising on TV, Instagram influencers grew too big for their own good, as marketers now face the same problem they once did with television.

Enter the micro-influencer. An account run by a person that is not usually famous and has far fewer followers. They are also, more often than not, focused on a single subject (makeup, cooking, tech, movies etc).

Micro-influencers are perceived as more genuine, and therefore, more trusted by their follower base, who are more likely to react to posts. Identify local micro-influencers that are ideally active in a field that serves your company and employ them to push your brand. Properly utilizing micro-influencers will lead to more engagement with your company or brand, for far less money.

3. Social media stories

 Visual content is becoming more popular than ever, which is why almost all social media platforms now offer a ‘story’ feature. This casual feature, allows for more relaxed content as the videos posted disappear after a 24-hour window. The sense of urgency, to watch and interact with the video before it disappears, also works in favour of the marketer as it translates to a much more engaged audience.

In a 2018 study, Block Party estimates that there are currently 970 million accounts on Instagram, Snapchat, WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger that post stories, daily. The same study shows that there’s a surge in ‘stories’ posts; an astonishing 842% increase from 2016. At the moment, 50% of businesses are publishing ‘stories’, with an average of 2.9 ‘stories’ published per week. Brands and companies that are very active on Instagram go as far as having the same number of stories as actuals posts.

Experiment with the feature and incorporate your brand identity into your stories for consistency. Strive to engage your audience by regularly posting engaging or entertaining stories on various social media platforms, and add a personalised touch to leave your mark.

4. Chatbots and Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Digital technology is advancing with huge leaps, and while marketers were once reluctant to employ AI in their digital marketing plans, this is seriously set to change. Artificial Intelligence now boasts a great number of applications in the marketing industry, mainly in the form of chatbots and algorithms that identify trends and give businesses a time competitive advantage over competition.

Chatbots – computer programmes that can carry conversations with users based on keywords offered – are ideal for users looking for basic services and information, or even e-commerce sites. Chatbots can offer quick responses and clear instructions to users, without the active involvement of a human rep. According to Global Market Insights, the Charbot market will grow to become a $1.34 billion market by 2024.

AI can also help with buying cheaper digital real estate for your ads. Programmatic advertising helps marketers buy ad space quickly and efficiently, bypassing the RFP process, human negotiations and manually sending insertion orders. Allowing a programme to buy ads cuts down on cost and makes the process much more efficient. Investing on expanding your digital technology is a must for 2019.

5. Humour

Nike took social media by storm back in September, when it released an ad that touched upon a hot button issue in the US, as professional athletes protested against police brutality. A deeply divisive issue, the ad pushed brand mentions for Nike up 135% in the first week, although not all of them were anticipated by the company. What Nike executives didn’t expect was that their ad would gain second wind by becoming a meme! Users were taking the ad and replacing the campaign slogan “Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything” with funny or nonsensical slogans to mock other public figures.

Entertaining your audience through humour is a surefire way to get noticed and raise awareness about your brand as users respond and engage more with humorous posts than with corporate ones. Funny memes, reaction GIFs and other video based content can be used to convey a humorous message, and is especially well received, particularly in the younger demographic. Be careful though. Much like comedy, humorous posts are all about timing and context. Do your research don’t be too hasty to jump on the bandwagon, or you’ll risk a public relations disaster like the one that befell DiGiorno pizza back in 2014, when they accidentally made fun of domestic abuse.

The experts at Action Digital are on hand to help you best utilise the latest online trends in 2019 to take your business to new heights!

Association for Large Investment Projects attracts investors

The Large Investment Projects Association has published and circulated to the international markets a new Profiler for large-scale investment projects with a total value of €8b, in order to promote Cyprus as an ideal investment destination.

The primary objective of the new Profiler is to enhance the business environment of Cyprus and attract foreign direct investment, which is necessary for the completion and development of specific projects. The 21 large-scale development projects that are presented in the Profiler include among other, golf courses, high-rise buildings, mixed development projects, hotels as well as villas. This edition includes projects that represent 18 member-companies of the Association.

In a statement the President of the Large Investment Projects Association, Andreas Demetriades, underlined that “many of the projects that the Profiler includes, are at an advanced stage, allowing for their completion in a short period of time”. At the same time, he noted that “the implementation of these projects will enhance and upgrade our tourism product while also creating over 9,000 jobs”.

With its active presence in business forums abroad, the Association of Large Investment Projects systematically highlights the business environment that Cyprus attracts as an investment destination. The members of the Association share a common vision; to shape Cyprus into a modern regional hub through the promotion and implementation of large-scale private development projects, thereby contributing to the country’s economic growth.

You can find the electronic version of the Profiler in the link below:

http://www.cyprusinvestments.com.cy/Investment-Opportunities-ProfilerV2/mobile/index.html

Promoting the Cyprus film industry in Berlinale

Promoting the Cyprus Film Scheme through a series of contacts in the festival framework

The Cyprus Investment Promotion Agency (Invest Cyprus) participated in the Berlin International Film Festival, better known as Berlinale, on 7-16 February, 2019, whichis considered as one of the most important international festivals in the field and one of the largest in Europe.

During the festival, Invest Cyprus, chariring the Cyprus Film Commission,, conducted a series of contacts aimed at promoting the Cyprus film industry. In particular, Invest Cyprus met with filmmakers from the European Union, the United States and Australia.

It is worth noting that distribution companies are in negotiations with productions that will take place in Cyprus, while producers have developed scenarios specifically for the country. During the festival, Invest Cyprus Senior Officer Lefteris Eleftheriou participated in formal debates on the future of the film industry and took the opportunity to present the Cyprus Film Scheme to producers and other professionals in the industry who expressed their interest. Moreover, professionals from the local film industry as well as Cypriot companies participated in the festival.

Lefteris Eleftheriou, promoted Cyprus’ beauty as a natural film studio, ideal for location shooting. According to Mr. Eleftheriou, there was keen interest in the Cyprus Film Scheme. “There was a satisfying response and indeed several participants showed interest in the tax incentives offered by Cyprus, namely the tax rebate up to 35% for movies or TV series and documentaries, for productions that meet certain economic criteria,” he said.

After completing 2 cycles of the programme for Professional Coaches and Mentors, PwC’s Academy Cyprus organised on Tuesday, 19 February a graduation ceremony for the 22 participants of the programme.

The programme, was introduced by PwC’s Academy in 2017, in collaboration with Bluesky International and Mrs Agnieszka Bajer, in response to growing demand in Cyprus for professional coaching and mentoring. This is the first programme of its kind available to industry professionals in our country and it has been accredited by the European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC) and has received the European Quality Award.

The graduates of the programme received two certificates. One from Bluesky International which is the Diploma for Professional Coaches and Mentors and one from the European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC) which is the European Individual Accreditation (EIA) confirming accreditation to practise as a coach/mentor at the level of Practitioner.

The ceremony was addressed by Mr Philippos Soseilos, Partner, Head of People at PwC Cyprus, Mr. Costas Seraphim, Head of PwC’s Academy Cyprus, Dr. Lise Lewis, EMCC International Special Ambassador, Executive and Relational Leadership Coach, Coach Supervisor and Facilitator of the programme, Mrs Agnieszka Bajer, Culture Strategist, Team & Executive Coach and Facilitator of the programme,  and Mrs Eleni Demosthenous, EMCC Cyprus President.

In his speech Mr Soseilos referred to the importance as well as the need for proper coaching and mentoring for business executives in today’s constantly evolving business environment stressing PwC’s commitment to contribute to the development of the profession in our country.

Enjoying a dynamic presence in Greece and Cyprus, Celestyal Cruises, a member of the Louis Group, recently published official results for 2018, highlighting the company’s success over the past year, while also presenting new cruise itineraries scheduled for 2019 and 2020.

During a media lunch on February 19^th at ‘Elliniko’ tavern, the new CEO of Celestyal Cruises, Chris Theophilides, presented the official statistics that highlight the company’s growth. Statistics indicate that there was a significant increase in passenger traffic of up to 8% in 2018 compared to 2017. Over the past year, 108,000 passengers from all over the world were accommodated on Celestyal Cruises, marking a high occupancy in both company’s cruise ships. More specifically, a high passenger attendance from North America (32%), Spain (12%), Latin America (10%) and Greece (10%) was noted, while market opportunities arose from the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, Switzerland and Australia.

Celestyal Cruises has kick-started 2019 dynamically, by expanding its tourist packages from March 15^th to January 6^th, 2020 with two new routes, presented in detail by Odyssia Odysseos, Cyprus sales executive. The company has added in a seven-day ‘Eclectic Aegean’ cruise, setting sail from Piraeus and stopping in Constantinople, Cannakale (famed for its ancient city of Troy), the historic Kallipolis, Volos (with its imposing Meteora), Heraklion, Santorini and Mykonos.  A seven-day ‘3 Continents’ cruise is also a new talking point, setting off from Piraeus and stopping in Alexandria (Egypt), Port Said (Egypt), Asdot (Israel), Limassol (Cyprus), Rhodes and Ancient Ephesus.

As Theophilides pointed out to the press: “The long-term goal of the company is that of continuously improving the services offered, enhancing them with new, innovative initiatives. An important goal for 2019 is the gradual expansion of Celestyal Cruises throughout the year, strengthening its commercial presence in the Mediterranean region. Finally, we are delighted to announce the addition of Limassol as the main embarkation port for our new route, which aims to extend the tourist season.  We also believe that this route is an important opportunity for our country’s tourism, offering our clients the chance to visit different countries that do not belong in Cyprus’ traditional markets, paving the way for new prospects”.

About Celestyal Cruises

Celestyal Cruises is the main home-porting cruise operator in Greece and the preeminent cruise line serving the Greek Islands and East Mediterranean. The company operates two mid-sized vessels, each one cozy enough to provide genuine and highly-personalized services. The foundation of the company’s philosophy is the ‘destination.’ Every cruise focuses on true cultural immersion, offering authentic, lifetime experiences both on board and on shore, wherever its vessels sail.
 Awards

In February 2018, Celestyal Cruises received four Cruise Critic Cruisers Choice Awards: two first place awards, for Shore Excursions and Value, and two second place awards, for Service and Entertainment. In 2017 Celestyal Cruises was given the UK Editors’ Picks Award for Best Service by Cruise Critic, the world’s largest cruise reviews site and online cruise community, as well as four Cruise Critic Cruisers’ Choice Awards: Best (mid-sized), Embarkation, Entertainment, Shore Excursions and Value.

Corporate Responsibility

Celestyal Cruises is deeply committed to sustainability and ethical business practices. The company actively supports local communities in the destinations it visits, particularly in the field of education. Since 2015, more than 2000 students in the Greek islands of Milos, Patmos, Samos and Ios have enjoyed a ‘journey to knowledge’, by attending specialized educational programs, initiated by Celestyal Cruises. Additionally, Celestyal Cruises supports cultural NGOs to promote youth entrepreneurship, marine student development and child welfare.

 ISO Certification

The entire spectrum of Celestyal Cruises’ ship management, including technical, hotel and crew management, and offices, are certified in accordance with ISO 9001/14001 standards. The certifying authority is DNV-GL, widely recognized as the biggest and most respected rating agency in the marine industry.

Get in touch with Celestyal Cruises:

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn

The A. G. Leventis Foundation and the Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation announce the publication of a volume on the church of Panagia tou Arakos. The well-known church of Panagia tou Arakos, built at the end of the 12^th century between the villages of Lagoudera and Saranti in Pitsilia area, is one of the most important cultural heritage monuments of Cyprus and of Byzantine art. The inclusion of the church in the Unesco World Heritage Monuments List is an acknowledgment of its key importance in the history of Byzantine art.

The collective volume The church of Panagia tou Arakos is published by the A. G. Leventis Foundation and the Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation at the initiative, encouragement and blessings of the Metropolitan of Morphou Neophytos and with the support of the Department of Antiquities. It is the first monography of the monument worthy of the monument’s historical and artistic value. The editors of the book are Ath. Papageorghiou, Ch. Bakirtzis and Chr. Hadjichristodoulou.

Eight elaborate studies present Panagia tou Arakos in 135 pages: the history of the monastery of Panagia tou Arakos (Ath. Papageorghiou), the architecture of the church (Sl. Curcic), the frescoes of the 12^th and 14^th centuries (Ch. Konstantinidi), the inscriptions of the frescoes (P. Agapitos), the theological interpretation of the iconography (Metropolitan of Morphou Neophytos), the frescoes of the 17^th century, the wood-carved iconostasis and the artefacts and the icons of the church (Ch. Hadjichristodoulou) and the role of incoming light within the church (Ch. Bakirtzis and Ioannis Iliadis).

The publication is complete with drawings executed by R. Anderson and 152 colour photographs of great accuracy, which fully reflect the high artistic quality and spiritual character of the monument. The photographic imprint is accompanied by linear drawings of the inner facades of the church, on which the frescoes are placed and numbered.

The publication may be purchased from the Anastasios G. Leventis Foundation for the price of 80,00 euros. The book presentation shall take place at the Foundation’s lecture hall (40, Gladstone street, Nicosia) on the 3^rd of May.

MTN Cyprus and Huawei today announced their agreement for a strategic cooperation on the development of a 5G network in Cyprus, initially through a joint research program and then though a commercial set of services.

According to the Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC), signed during the Mobile World Congress 2019 in Barcelona, a task force will be formed in order to share its know-how, the well-known 5G global ecosystem and to ultimately shape the preconditions for a smooth introduction and seamless development of the 5G network in the country.

Mr. Thanos Chronopoulos, CEO of MTN Cyprus, stated: “MTN, in its new era, is faster, more flexible and more dynamic. This cooperation leads us to the advanced global 5G ecosystem and paves the path to Cyprus’ technological future. We are willing and ready to play our part within the context of a national strategy which will significantly upgrade the country’s role and contribution to telecoms across the entire region”.

Mr. Philip Gan, Vice President CEE & Nordic Region, Huawei, commented: “With the completion of this new strategic partnership with MTN Cyprus, it is now clear that the European markets are first and foremost focusing on the development of an advanced technology, aiming to meet the needs of the new era under the best possible way”.

About MTN Cyprus

MTN Cyprus is one of the largest telecommunications providers in Cyprus, delivering integrated telecommunications solutions for mobile, fixed telephony, broadband and pay-TV, as well as specialized ICT solutions to business clients. As of September 2018, MTN Cyprus was acquired by Monaco Telecom and is now a member of a dynamic European family of telecommunication providers.

Monaco Telecom is the incumbent operator of the Principality of Monaco, offering fixed and mobile, internet, TV, cloud, and hosting services. In September 2018, Monaco Telecom announced its plans to make the Principality of Monaco the first country in the world with full 5G coverage. Monaco Telecom is member of NJJ Holding, an ambitious group of European telecommunication companies comprised of providers in France, Italy, Switzerland, Ireland, Monaco and now Cyprus.

The BoC Wallet App brings you a whole new way of making your purchases. You νo longer need to carry your wallet to pay for your purchases, all you need is your mobile phone.

Simply download the BoC Wallet App to your mobile phone and follow the on-screen instructions to register the number or numbers of your Bank of Cyprus Visa card(s). It’s just as straightforward as downloading and installing any other app to your phone.

The Boc Wallet app is a much easier and safer way to make payments compared to cash or plastic money.

The BoC Wallet App is available for Android devices with OS 5.0+, is offered free of charge and applies to Bank of Cyprus cards only.

How do I pay with the BoC Wallet App?

 For transactions under €20, activate the screen of your mobile phone and hold it over the merchant’s POS terminal with the screen facing up. The BoC Wallet App is immediately activated and the transaction is completed.

• For transactions over €20, follow the same steps, except here you will need to enter your card’s PIN for the transaction to be approved and then place your mobile device over the reader of the merchant’s POS terminal once again to complete the transaction.

Contactless payments using mobile phones are the future in payments, and hence the special importance of the roll-out of the BoC Wallet App by the Bank of Cyprus. It is part of the bank’s digital transformation and it’s Digital Strategy, aiming to provide customers the most up-to-date services.

A new era in payments

 Dr. Charis Pouangare, Director of Consumer & SME Banking, stated: “This important new service is part of the roll-out of our digital strategy and the provision of digital products to our customers. The BoC Wallet app is a digital wallet, which you can download and install for free from Google Store, in which users can register all their Visa card number or numbers. This way, when making a purchase at any merchant in Cyprus or overseas, rather than use your physical plastic card, users can simply hold their mobile phone over the POS terminal and carry out their transaction quickly, easily and securely. The Boc Wallet App provides enhanced security through its use of Tokenization technology, meaning that a user’s card details are encrypted and are not stored on the app or anywhere on the mobile device. The BoC Wallet App is intended for all holders of Bank of Cyprus Visa cards who own an Android Smartphone.”

For her part, Andreana Pappas, Visa Country Manager, Cyprus said: “The payments industry has grown into a very challenging environment in recent years, as the shift from plastic to digital has accelerated. Visa’s mission is to ensure that any connected device used for payments is a secure place for commerce, and that’s why we constantly work to develop new security-led products and features, such as the Visa Token Service. We are proud to launch together with Bank of Cyprus their issuer wallet using Visa tokenization platform. This is a significant step forward in our long standing partnership with Bank of Cyprus, as Bank of Cyprus Visa cardholders will now be able to use their phones to pay easily and securely at millions of merchants that accept contactless payment across the globe. As Cypriots enthusiastically adopted the contactless technology in recent years, we are confident that this mobile wallet could quickly become a success. The digital wallet launched today is only the beginning, because we believe that tokenization will be a key component in the future of digital payments, unlocking the potential to offer safe and simple payment forms regardless of the device or shopping channel”.

Find out more at: http://bankofcyprus.com.cy/en-gb/bocwallet/

Blue Air and Cyprus Airways agreed to continue the codeshare partnership initially launched in December 2018.

The collaboration between the two airlines will be extended over the summer schedule, starting March 31st to October 26th, 2019. Under this codeshare partnership, the two airlines’ customers will have an enhanced connectivity from Larnaca to Athens, Thessaloniki and Heraklion.

“Our cooperation with Blue Air proved to satisfy our travellers’ needs, therefore we have decided to extend this collaboration. The codeshare agreement with Blue Air will give our customers more opportunities and flexibility to choose from when booking their flights to Greece”, stated Natalia Popova, Chief Commercial Officer of Cyprus Airways.

Mr. Tudor Constantinescu, Chief Commercial Officer at Blue Air, commented: “We are delighted to announce the extension of the codeshare with our partners from Cyprus Airways. This agreement will continue to maximize the travel opportunities offered to passengers through our airline’s extensive networks. Our relationship with Cyprus Airways is very important for Blue Air, and we are delighted to offer our valued guests even better connectivity for the Greek market.”

Passengers can book their flights through:

• com, Cyprus Airways Call Center (National toll free 8000 8111 or international on +357 24000053) or through their travel agent.
• com, Blue Air Call Center (National tool 9001 9010 or international on +357 22755300) or through their travel agent.

PwC presented the findings of its 8^th local CEO survey

Change of scenery for CEOs of companies operating in Cyprus, since according to the findings of PwC’s 22^nd Annual Global CEO Survey, they appear less optimistic on the prospects of global economic growth compared to last year.  In the context of the global survey of 1,378 CEOs in 90 countries, PwC Cyprus carried out the local survey for the 8th consecutive year, ensuring the participation of 91 CEOs.

According to the findings, there is an increase in the number of CEOs who believe that global economic growth will decline in the next 12 months, with 20% compared to 6% in 2018. At the same time, 40% of CEOs said that they are optimistic that global economic growth will improve in the coming period, down from 52% in 2018.

The overall reduced optimism for the global economy, however, does not seem to affect CEO confidence in their own companies’ prospects over the next 12 months. Specifically, 83% of CEOs in Cyprus, are confident regarding their company’s prospects for growth and profitability.  This percentage may be slightly lower compared to 2018 (85%) but nevertheless demonstrates optimism about the future of business. Another significant finding of this year’s survey is the fact that business leaders’ predictions have proven to be quite accurate. In particular, there appears to be a correlation between the changes in CEOs confidence in their own company’s prospects for the next year with actual economic growth, as measured by GDP.

At the same time, according to the survey the main concerns of CEOs in Cyprus are geopolitical uncertainty (36%), the future of the Eurozone (31%) and uncertain economic growth (29%). Among the top business threats that CEOs face in our country are cyber threats (35%), the speed of technological change (32%) and volatile energy costs with 25%.

Technology is once again playing a leading role, leaving its own distinct mark. The survey highlights the importance of data for decision-making on the long-term success and durability of businesses. However, gaps in the adequacy of the data available to CEOs are identified, mainly due to their lack of shared use and also the lack of talent with analytical skills. In addition, business leaders appreciate that Artificial Intelligence will significantly change the way they conduct their business in the next 5 years. However, few companies seem to have acted in this area with only 16% declaring that they have taken initiatives for the use of artificial intelligence systems.

The results of the survey were presented by Mr Philippos Soseilos, Advisory Partner at PwC Cyprus at a special event held on Tuesday, 5 March 2019. PwC Cyprus CEO, Mr Evgenios Evgeniou, CEO of CYTA, Mr Andreas Neocleous, CEO of Tototheo Maritime, Mrs Despina Panayiotou-Theodosiou and CEO of C.A. Papaellinas Group, Mr Christos Papaellinas, participated in the discussion that followed.

Commenting on the results of the local survey, Mr Evgeniou said: “The areas of focus for CEOs in Cyprus are the gap in the availability and analysis of data, the lack of the necessary technology skills, the need for setting businesses on a digital transformation path and leveraging Artificial Intelligence whilst staying cyber secure. Challenges bring opportunities and they are a call for action. In this context, PwC’s survey is a rich source of information and a useful tool for planning and decision-making to achieve business growth”.

The survey’s results are available on www.pwc.com.cy/ceosurve

On the occasion of International Women’s Day, Emirates is highlighting the integral role played by its female employees through a special video which documents the breadth and diversity of the operational and technical roles performed by women in the Group.

The video gives the audience a behind the scenes look at women employees from various Emirates Group business units, carrying out all key activities for the operation of flight EK 225 from Dubai to San Francisco. The Emirates A380 aircraft was piloted by Captain Patricia Bischoff from Canada and First Officer Rebecca Lougheed from the UK with cabin crew led by the purser Weronica Formela from Poland.

In addition to the flight crew, an all-woman team worked on all ‘above wing’ and ‘below wing’ activities in the lead up to flight departure. This included women in roles spanning customer service in the airport such as the Passenger Duty Service Manager; ramp operations monitored by the Ramp Duty Controller and Ramp Operations Team Leader; technical services carried out by Licensed Aircraft Engineers and Technicians; and a myriad of other roles within the flight dispatch, aircraft appearance, crew operations, catering and security teams.

In total, a team of over 75 women from more than 25 nationalities worked on the flight. This mirrors the overall diversity within the Emirates Group which employs staff from over 160 nationalities. The operational team for EK 225 also included Emirati women working in the Engineering, Flight Dispatch, Security and Cargo operations teams.

“Every flight that we operate needs an entire ecosystem of staff from a number of business units to come together and work seamlessly. Emirates is proud that we have women represented in all these key functions,” said Abdulaziz Al Ali, Executive Vice President of Human Resources at Emirates. “Women have been part of the Emirates success story from the start and on International Women’s Day we celebrate their extensive contribution to Emirates and to the broader aviation industry.”

The Emirates Group employs women from over 150 nationalities. This includes close to 1,150 Emirati women who work in diverse functions across the business, and are represented in senior managerial and executive roles across the Group. Overall, female employees constitute over 40% of the workforce at Emirates with the majority of women working as cabin crew. Over 20% of all supervisorial and managerial roles within Emirates are occupied by women.

Furniture, bedding and decoration

The first store of the most famous Danish chain of furniture, homeware and decoration, is coming soon to Cyprus, at the Nicosia Mall.

Its name is JYSK (Yoosk), and it is where Cypriot consumers will now be able to acquire everything for the home, in the renowned Scandinavian standards of quality. The famous JYSK (Yoosk) chain offers a full range of top-quality sleep products, furniture and home and garden accessories.

All JYSK (Yoosk) products embody the current philosophy and trends, which call for modern design, simplicity and quality.

The JYSK Group comprises more than 2.700 stores in over 51 countries globally, with an annual turnover of €3,58 billion. Since its founding in 1979, it has enjoyed steady and controlled growth, currently employing around 23.000 people.

It has also been appointed as Official Supplier of the Royal Danish Court, proudly displaying on its products ‘By Appointment to The Royal Danish Court’, a title given to companies who have done business with the Royal Danish Court for several years, and who are well-established, financially stable, and enjoy a good reputation.

The Scandinavian proposition in sleeping and living

 In the Danish language, the word JYSK refers to anything or anyone from the Jutland peninsula in Denmark. According to JYSK founder Lars Larsen, it is also associated with the concepts of modesty, meticulousness and honesty, three values he has faithfully aligned with. It also means reliability, as well as the principle that deals are always kept.

Among JYSK’s products, mattresses stand out, particularly in the Gold category, where, in addition to a 25-year guarantee, the customer has the opportunity for a 100-day try-out before deciding on a type of mattress.

The full range of JYSK products will soon be available at the Nicosia Mall, as well as online at a later stage.

www.jysk.com.cy

Papantoniou Supermarkets proudly announced their exclusive collaboration with British supermarket giant Sainsbury’s, at a press conference held on Wednesday, March 13 at Hilton Park, Nicosia.

Quality, variety and competitive prices make Sainsbury’s products among the top choices for UK consumers.

Papantoniou Supermarkets decided to proceed with this exceptional collaboration after considering the growing needs of today’s consumers in Cyprus. From now on, Papantoniou Supermarkets’ customers can enjoy both the already advantageous prices and products offered by Papantoniou Supermarkets and purchase their favourite Sainsbury’s products at really attractive prices.

The managing director of Papantoniou Supermarkets, Pambos Papantoniou, expressed his delight at  the confidence Sainsbury’s has shown in Papantoniou by choosing the company to be part of Sainsbury’s strategic development in Cyprus. He said a wide variety of Sainsbury’s products will be on sale.

Sainsbury’s Michael Luck, director of business development and Liz Cooper, business strategy manager, also attended the press conference and shared their excitement over the new partnership, saying how it will meet the ever-changing needs of the consumers, saving them both time and money.

With 150 years of history, Sainsbury’s products are present in dozens of cities in the UK.

The exclusive collaboration of Sainsbury’s with Papantoniou Supermarkets aims at fully covering the needs of local consumers and supply the market with more innovative products.

Papantoniou Supermarkets and Sainsbury’s. Together… they give value to your shopping!

Open Call for 16 scholarships Deadline for submissions: 30 March 2019

AIPFE Cyprus-Women of Europe has joined forces with EY Cyprus and CIM Cyprus Institute of Marketing to locally relaunch the successful European initiative Women Fit for Business (WF4B) Cyprus.

WF4B is an intensive 8-month collaboration targeting young, unemployed, female university graduates, under the age of 35. It aims to help provide them with the necessary hard and soft skills to enter or re-enter the labour market and/or start their own business.

“AIPFE Cyprus has been empowering, motivating and connecting women for the last 20 years,’ says AIPFE President Anna Koukkides Procopiou. “We are running this program third time round exactly because we believe in helping girls and women understand how powerful they already are, while creating a positive impact on society as a whole.”

Sixteen candidates will be chosen through a competitive interview selection process. The program, which will commence in mid-April 2019 and run through November 2019, will cover a wide range of topics, comprising of female leadership training, communication skills, business skills, social media and digital marketing etc.

This program is open to all Cyprus residents and specifically aims at creating an inclusive and diverse team of female participants.

Interested applicants may send their CV, along with a letter of interest detailing the reasons they wish to apply for this program and the professional benefits that can be accrued through the attainment of soft skills.  Good command of the English language is imperative, as the program will be conducted in English. Applicants must also send the names and contact details of two referees. All applications must be received via email to info@aipfe.com  by 30 March 2019.

Successful candidates will be selected to embark on an 8-month course, which includes training, internships and mentoring. Applicants in temporary/part-time employment, part-time education, and/or professional courses will be considered on merit.

Speaking on behalf of The CIM, Yangos Hadjiyannis, Deputy Director-General noted that “We at The Cyprus Institute of Marketing are delighted to be joining as partners to the WF4B initiative for the first time. At the CIM we are nurturing Business Leaders for the past 41 years, so this project provides an excellent opportunity to us to transfer knowledge and inspire young women for a successful career. Moreover, such initiatives are fully aligned with our Social Responsibility Strategy and we look forward to working closely with our Partners and the participants for a very rewarding journey through WF4B”.

“Women make up more than half the population of the world, yet women are often overlooked as catalysts for economic growth and prosperity,” said Stavros Pantzaris, Country Managing Partner of EY Cyprus . “In Cyprus, this disparity is prevalent. Women’s empowerment, advancement and leadership are central to business performance and economic prosperity and EY’s purpose of building a better working world, encompasses a special focus on accelerating the global gender parity clock. The WF4B program provides the perfect platform to do this, and we are very proud to support this initiative for a second time! We are determined to continue to champion our commitment to equality in the workplace and mobilize local resources and skills to facilitate the conversation about why and how to get more women into leadership roles,” he added.