The announcement has been greeted with enthusiasm by local tourist and commerce chiefs and comes after years of negotiating with the Paphos Tourism Board and the Cyprus government. The new destinations are: United Kingdom (London – Stansted), Greece (Patra, Chania, Thessaloniki), Germany (Frankfurt, Memmingen), Lithuania (Kaunas), Poland (Krakow), Italy (Rome, Pisa, Treviso, Bergamo), Norway (Oslo), and Sweden (Stockholm). Average fares on Ryanair are €50.

“This very positive development is perhaps the most important in recent years. This collaboration comes at a critical phase of the economy,” a Paphos Tourism Board spokesman said.

The presence of Ryanair is expected to reduce unemployment and to upgrade the tourism status of Paphos, as the airline CEO, Michael Cawley said.

“Ryanair is delighted to announce Paphos as our 50th base with 14 routes beginning next April. Cyprus-bound visitors can now beat the recession and escape high fares by switching to Ryanair’s lowest fares and our no fuel surcharge guarantee, flying to Paphos on 14 routes from all over Europe including Germany, Italy and Sweden among others. Ryanair’s 600,000 passengers p.a. will sustain up to 600 jobs in Paphos.”

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