Internship Repor

Internship Report | Visa Assistance Officer | Honorary Consulate of Cyprus, Dhaka
1.1
Origin of the Report
This report is an outcome of the Internship Program prepared as the partial requirement of MBA program of Department of Tourism and Hospitality Management (THM), University of Dhaka. This report was assigned by the academic supervisor PROFESSOR DR. MUBINA KHONDKAR, Chairperson, Dept. of THM, University of Dhaka and was approved by the organizational supervisor MR. MARIOS SAVVIDES, Education Officer, Ministry of Education & Culture, Republic of Cyprus. Though, I have been working as a Visa Assistance Officer in the Honorary Consulate of the Republic of Cyprus in Bangladesh since January, 2009, I was assigned to prepare this internship report by my academic supervisor. During this period I have been dealing with visa process and administrative works.
1.2
Internship / Work Area

Position: Visa Assistance Officer Organization: Honorary Consulate of the Republic of Cyprus Address: ABC House (9th floor), 8, Kemal Ataturk avenue, Banani, Dhaka - 1213.
Republic of Cyprus
1.3
Topic of this Report
A report must be based on a specific topic, so it is necessary to select a topic. A well-defined topic reflects what is going to be discussed throughout the report. I had to be very conscious about not to select any topic, where I need to disclose any confidential information as I am working in a sensitive organization. I discussed with my supervisors, both the academic and the organizational and finally came out this topic:
A Tourism Developed Country that Bangladesh Can Follow: A Case Study on Cyprus Tourism.
1.4
Objectives of the Report
Study or working on any subject must have objective. It may be only one objective or a combination of some objectives. My study also has objectives. Before submitting the report I need to discuss briefly my Broad Objective and related Supplementary Objectives.
Mijanur Rahaman Siddiki (razin) | Dept. of Tourism & Hospitality Management | University of Dhaka
Broad Objective:
The research was conducted for a two-fold purpose. First, to have a practical knowledge of the professional life and to relate the two years of theoretical learning about business. More importantly, it was required for the partial fulfillment of the MBA program. Secondly, to analyze and evaluate the present scenario of tourism demand and to provide some recommendations to improve the scenario for Cyprus and more importantly, formulate some strategies of tourism sector in Bangladesh to raise Gross Domestic Product.
Supplementary Objectives:
The report is expected to attain the following supplementary objectives: To analyze the strategies and policies taken by the Cypriot Govt. to attract more tourists. To recognize the impact of activities in embassies and consulates to help generate more tourism demand. To identify the market potentiality of tourism in Bangladesh. To find out whether tourism sector can contribute to raise growth rate of Gross Domestic Product. To provide some policy implications to raise Gross Domestic Product through arranging strategic management of tourism sector of Bangladesh. To perform as secondary source of information for the student of Tourism and Hospitality Management.
1.5
Methodology of the Study
Methodology may refer to nothing more than a simple set of methods or procedures, or it may refer to the rationale and the philosophical assumptions that underlie a particular study relative to the scientific method. Combinations of such methods are also followed in my study. I have used both the qualitative and quantitative methods to get primary data.
1.5.1 Sources of Data

The study was conducted on the basis of both the primary and secondary sources of information. The details of these sources are highlighted below: 1.5.1.1 Primary Sources Major sources of primary information were found through casual discussions with my organizational supervisor MR. MARIOS SAVVIDES.
Interview Method: I have discussed with other Cypriot Officers from Ministry Education & Culture, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and from department of Immigration to collect both primary and secondary data and related documents about Cyprus. I have visited some tourism organizations in Bangladesh to take interview to get primary and secondary data related to the topic. I have also discussed with some of my course instructors in MBA. Observation Method: The things I observed are from my practical experience, most of which are strictly confidential. I was forbidden to reveal any confidential information. However, I have visited some popular tourist destinations In Bangladesh (Coxs Baxzar, Saint Martin Island, Bandorban, Rangamati, Shundarban, Sylhet), in India (Darjeeling, Mirikh, Calcutta etc.), in Thailand (Bangkok, Pattaya). 1.5.1.2 Secondary Sources Sources of secondary data are widely used in this report. These can be defined as: Internal Sources: Ambassadorial updated archives Brochures and other related paper from the govt. of Cyprus provided through embassy. Data and information from the web-site of High Commission of Cyprus in New Delhi External Sources: Newspapers and Periodicals published both in Cyprus and Bangladesh Different books, articles, journals etc. published by tourism related organizations both in Cyprus and Bangladesh. Updated Information from Websites and other electronic media
1.6
Scope of the Study
Although, the duration of an internship program is for 3 months, I have been working for Honorary Consulate of Cyprus in Dhaka since January 2009. In these one and about half year journey, I have been working as a Visa Assistance Officer, most of which about visa and some administrative works. But the observations and report study was focused mainly on tourism by securing confidentiality of my work. The scopes of the study as per proposal are as follows: Organizational information of the embassy except the confidential information Operations and research papers of tourism organizations Strategies, objectives, and policies, for tourism taken by both Bangladesh and Cyprus govt. Financial performance of the tourism sector of both the two countries. Potential tourist destinations and tourism product of both the two countries.
1.7
Rationale of the Study
The report will definitely increase knowledge of the students of Tourism and Hospitality Management to know about tourism as well as the corporate world and it will teach them to apply theoretical knowledge in the practical life. This report will also help Bangladesh govt. to take necessary steps by studying the case of a tourism developed country like Cyprus. Finally, Cyprus govt. can evaluate the performance of their embassies and consulates, and try to improve their effectiveness and efficiencies as these organizations are the representatives and make first impressions.
1.8
Limitations of the Study
When I developed this report, then I had to face some problems, which disrupted the preparation of this report. There were several constrains while preparing this report. During preparation of my internship report I faced a number of problems, which may be termed as the limitations of the study. These are as follows: The main and topmost limitation is the nature of my work, dealing with sensitive and confidential issues. I was strictly ordered not to disclose any information regarding my work. Disclosing such information will have negative effect on my job. I had to discuss with my organizational supervisor about up-to-date information I provided in this report to check the information is secured enough, which was timekilling for me. Sufficient records, publications were not available about Cyprus. The constraints narrowed the scope of real analysis. There is no website of the consulate office in Dhaka and the information provided on the website of New Delhi High Commission was not sufficient. Sufficient information was not attainable because officers were very busy with their dayto-day work; they could hardly provide enough time. I could not spend sufficient time required to make an in-depth study on such an important subject because of my office time constraint. It is too much difficult to comment and suggest based on limited information supplied by the organization. Topic related necessary data and information were not easily available. Besides, no study in any topic was conducted before in the embassy. Last but not the least, lack of time has also limited the scope for the research work.
2.1
Introduction
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people who "travel to and stay in places outside their usual environment for more than twenty-four (24) hours and not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes not related to the exercise of an activity remunerated from within the place visited." Tourism has become a popular global leisure activity. In 2008, there were over 922 million international tourist arrivals, with a growth of 1.9% as compared to 2007. International tourism receipts grew to US$944 billion (euro 642 billion) in 2008, corresponding to an increase in real terms of 1.8%. Tourism is vital for many countries, such as Egypt, Greece, Lebanon, Spain and Thailand, and many island nations, such as The Bahamas, Fiji, Maldives, Philippines and the Seychelles, due to the large intake of money for businesses with their goods and services and the opportunity for employment in the service industries associated with tourism. These service industries include transportation services, such as airlines, cruise ships and taxicabs, hospitality services, such as accommodations, including hotels and resorts, and entertainment venues, such as amusement parks, casinos, shopping malls, music venues and theatres.
2.2
Types of Tourism
1. International tourism a) Inbound tourism: Visits to a country by nonresidents b) Outbound tourism: Visits by residents of a country to another country 2. Domestic tourism: Visits by residents of a country to their own country 3. Internal tourism: The combination of Domestic and Inbound tourism 4. National tourism: The combination of Domestic and Outbound tourism
2.3
History
Wealthy people have always travelled to distant parts of the world, to see great buildings, works of art, learn new languages, experience new cultures and to taste different cuisines. Long ago, at the time of the Roman Republic, places such as Baiae were popular coastal resorts for the rich. The word tourism was used by 1811 and tourist by 1840. In 1936, the League of Nations defined foreign tourist as "someone traveling abroad for at least twenty-four hours". Its successor, the United Nations, amended this definition in 1945, by including a maximum stay of six months.
2.4
Leisure travel
Leisure travel was associated with the Industrial Revolution in the United Kingdom the first European country to promote leisure time to the increasing industrial population. Initially, this applied to the owners of the machinery of production, the economic oligarchy, the factory owners and the traders. These comprised the new middle class. Cox & Kings was the first official travel company to be formed in 1758.
2.5
Mass tourism
Mass tourism could only have developed with the improvements in technology, allowing the transport of large numbers of people in a short space of time to places of leisure interest, so that greater numbers of people could begin to enjoy the benefits of leisure time.
2.6
Sustainable tourism
Sustainable tourism is an industry committed to making a low impact on the environment and local culture, while helping to generate future employment for local people. The aim of sustainable tourism is to ensure that development brings a positive experience for the local people, tourism companies and the tourists themselves. But sustainable tourism is not the same as ecotourism. Sustainable tourism development is a process which allows development to take place without depleting the resources. This is generally achieved by managing the resources in such way that they are able to renew themselves to support future as well as current generations.
2.6.1 Objectives of Sustainable tourism

The aim is to balance our economic, environmental, and social needs, allowing prosperity for current and future generations. It conserves and enhances our resource base by changing or adapting newer technologies. It has four objectives: 1. 2. 3. 4. Social progress and equality Environmental protection Conservation of natural resources, and Stable economic growth
2.6.2 Characteristics of Sustainable tourism

Minimize negative economic, environmental, and social impacts Generates employment and economic benefits for local people Involves local people in decision making that affect their lives
Conserves natural and cultural heritage as a subject of world heritage Provides more enjoyable experiences for tourists thru greater understanding of local culture and environment Is culturally sensitive and creates respect among tourists and hosts.
2.6.3 UNWTO Principles of Sustainable tourism

Scale, pace, and character of tourism development activities must be carefully controlled to safeguard environmental, historical, and cultural assets Sourcing of local goods and services and generating local employment Spreading the benefits of tourism more wide geographically, socially, and economically. Minimize adverse impacts of tourism through effective management and promotion of environmentally sound practices. (Tajmahal environment, Caspian sea, Dead sea, Coxs Bazaar) Promotes intrinsic value of environment so that long term survival of environment is not at risk, the host community is happy and cooperative, and ensures enjoyment for futurity.
2.6.4 Impacts of Sustainable tourism

a) It is informative: about culture, politics, economy, and environment (Webpage, Emerging Tiger, Incredible India, etc.) b) It benefits Residents: employment, infrastructure development, training of manpower, small and capital business grow. c) It Conserves Resources: Conservation of manmade building and edifices, natural beauty, scope for renewable energy, minimize pollution, etc. d) It does not abuse its products: it applies limits and management techniques to prevent unplanned development of tourist destinations. e) It strives for quality, not quantity: Not the volume of visitors but by length of stay, money spent, and quality of good experiences. Example; Cyprus, Bhutan, etc. f) It means great trips: satisfied, excited visitors, gaining new knowledge and send friends and family to experience the same hospitality. (Negative impacts Bali Bombing, Mumbai Taj Hotel, Massacre in Cairo, etc.)
2.7
Ecotourism
Ecotourism, also known as ecological tourism, is responsible travel to fragile, pristine, and usually protected areas that strives to be low impact and (often) small scale. It helps educate the traveler; provides funds for conservation; directly benefits the economic development and political empowerment of local communities; and fosters respect for different cultures and for human rights.
2.8
Porter Five Forces Analysis
Porter's five forces is a framework for the industry analysis and business strategy development developed by Michael E. Porter of Harvard Business School in 1979. It draws upon Industrial Organization (IO) economics to derive five forces that determine the competitive intensity and therefore attractiveness of a market. Attractiveness in this context refers to the overall industry profitability. An "unattractive" industry is one in which the combination of these five forces acts to drive down overall profitability. A very unattractive industry would be one approaching "pure competition", in which available profits for all firms are driven down to zero.
The five Forces: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. The intensity of competitive rivalry The threat of the entry of new competitors The threat of substitute products or services The bargaining power of customers (buyers) The bargaining power of suppliers
2.9
Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
The gross domestic product (GDP) or gross domestic income (GDI) is a measure of a country's overall economic output. It is the market value of all final goods and services made within the borders of a country in a year.
2.10 Archives
Ansari, Akter, Huq (2006) said that tourism activities in the island (St. Martins Island) have both positive and negative impacts on the natural as well as social environment of the island. Deegan and Moloney (2007) observed for Ireland west that strong correlation of the tourist succor to economic growth and employment. In the context of overall macroeconomic activity there is good reason to believe that tourism can be a significant contributor to economic development in the years ahead if an appropriate emphasis and strategy is developed. Lee (2007) mentioned that medical tourism is used to refer to travel activity that involves a medical procedure or activities that promote the wellbeing of the tourist. For example, the term 'healthcare' tourism has been used to cover travel and tourism that are related to medical procedures, health and wellbeing purposes. Rotherham(2007) argued that religious tourism and the visiting of sacred sites offer experiences to meet both demands. They can cater for those demanding spiritual retreats or provide a priest to accompany a group of pilgrim. They commented that religious tourismincluding pilgrimage-is embedded within a complex of heritage tourism and mass tourism activities. Ali and Mohsin (2008) observed that for Bangladesh- spots and cost of services have positive impact on the tourism sector. Authors suggested that tourism should be acted as an important ingredient of economic development of the country for which synergy may be applied between tourism marketing plan and its implementation process. Integrated marketing communications channel should be used to develop tourism sector of the country Yilmaz (2008) commented that one of the largest and fastest growing sectors of the global economy, tourism consists of many small and medium size enterprises which try to be successful in an extremely competitive and rapidly changing business environment. To create competitive advantage in this environment, a small tourism enterprise has to choose a powerful strategy. Baisakalova (2009) argued that the tourism development is a win-win strategy as it leads to creating jobs, developing infrastructure, and improving sustainability of the country. Improving the business environment, eliminating barriers such as visa obtaining procedures, providing incentives for innovations and knowledge development can result in growth of the inbound and domestic tourism. The New Nation (2009) reported that tourists pressure may create problem of biodiversity on St Martin.
3.1
Key Info
Government: President: Independence Day: The flag: Capital: Population: Area: Official Languages: Time Zone: Currency: International Dialing Code: Member of EU: Nicosia 850.300 (Dec. 2005) 9.251 sq. km Greek and Turkish GMT + 2 Euro (e) 00357 1st May, 2004 Presidential system Demetris Christofias 1st October
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3.2
Location and Area
Cyprus is the third largest island in the Mediterranean (after Sicily and Sardinia) with an area of 9.251 sq kms, extending 240 kms from east to west and 100 kms from north to south. It is strategically situated in the far eastern corner of the Mediterranean, at the crossroads of Europe, Africa and Asia, and in close proximity to the busy trade routes linking Europe with the Middle East, Russia, Central Asia and the Far East.
3.3
Climate
Mediterranean, with mild, wet winters (mean daily minimum 5C, 41F), and hot, dry summers (mean daily maximum 36C, 97F).
3.4
Flora and Fauna
Seventeen percent of the island is woodland. The natural vegetation includes forests of evergreen and deciduous trees, shrubs and flowers. The flora comprises about 1.800 species, sub-species and varieties. About 140 or 7% of these are endemic to Cyprus. There are also 365 species of birds but only 115 breed on the island. Two species and five subspecies have been classed as indigenous to the area. Among the animals the moufflon is the most noteworthy. It belongs to the sheep family and is unique in the world.
3.5
Economy
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The free market economy in the government-controlled area has made remarkable recovery since 1974 attributed to, among other factors: the adoption of a market-oriented economic system, sound macroeconomic policies, a dynamic and flexible entrepreneurial community and a highly educated labor force. The economy turned from agriculture to services and light manufacturing. Today, Cyprus is a major tourist destination and a modern economy offering dynamic services with an advanced infrastructure. The per capita income in PPS (Performance Presentation Standards) reached 81,6% of EU 25 memberstates average in 2004. Additionally, Cyprus was ranked 29th in the United Nations 2003 Index of Human Development. On 29 April 2005 the Cyprus pound joined the EU Exchange Rate Mechanism II (ERM II) and expects to join the euro-zone in January 2008.
3.6
Culture
Step back in time with a visit to Choirokoitia, one of the best preserved sites of a prehistoric settlement found in the Eastern Mediterranean, with its reconstructed round dwellings giving a vivid representation of what life was like at the dawn of civilization. Admire the exquisite floor mosaics of the Roman villas depicting scenes from mythology, arguably the best in the eastern Mediterranean and the impressive underground Tombs of the Kings nearby, carved out of solid rock and decorated with Doric pillars. Or enjoy an ancient Greek play performed in a Roman theatre with the most spectacular view on a cliff overlooking the sea.
3.7
Food and Drink
With emphasis on fresh local ingredients, a pungent mix of herbs and spices and a light spattering of olive oil, Cypriot food is essentially Mediterranean, similar to that of Greece and with a hint of the Middle East and Asia Minor. Both poets and travelers past have praised the flavors of the island. In present times doctors and health specialists have added their voices in extolling the virtues of the Mediterranean diet. The grains and pulses, sun-ripened fresh fruit and vegetables, high-protein fish, lean meat and poultry, olive oil and wine are both a healthy option as well as an irresistible temptation.
3.8
Coasts and Beaches
With a wealth of beaches to choose from, tourists are bound to find one that suits theirr taste. From the quiet backwaters of the western peninsula, to the lively resorts in the east, the island has something for everyone.
Phinikoudes Beach - Blue Flag

Bordering Larnakas (Larnaca) central coastal promenade, Phinikoudes Beach is one of the most famous in Cyprus. Phinikoudes means small palm trees (now grown into very big palm trees) that were planted in 1922. The beach has fine grey sand and is some 500 metres long. The area is popular for its cafes, bars, restaurants and hotels. There are also a large number of mini markets close to the beach.
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Kapparis Beach
Located at the end of a one - kilometres track in the Kapparis area outside Paralimni, this is a relatively secluded beach with golden sand and shallow clear waters. The furthest of the beaches in the free Famagusta area, it has basic facilities and is popular with locals.
Agia Thekla Beach - Blue Flag

Located three kilometers west of the centre of Agia Napa, Agia Thekla is a small beach named after a tiny old church situated nearby. The beach is 300 meters long and 25 meters wide and covered with fine golden sand. Seas are calm. Lifeguards are on duty with lifesaving equipment from 10:00 to 18:00 during the bathing season..
Pachyammos Beach - Blue Flag

Pachyammos Bay has a narrow sandy beach with a very few rocks. It is situated in the Pafos (Paphos) tourist area, in front of the hotels by Poseidonos Avenue. Well signposted, the beach is accessible by bus, car, motorbike and bicycle. From June 1st to October 15th, water sports, sun beds and umbrellas are on hire on site.
4.1
The High Commission of Cyprus, New Delhi
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4.1.1 The High Commission

The High Commissioners accreditation extends also to ten other countries of South and South eastern Asia, namely Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam. The High Commissions main mission is to promote and further enhance the political, economic, cultural and trade relations, not only between Cyprus and India, where strong and traditional bilateral relations have existed for decades, due to the strong bonds of friendship, but also between Cyprus and all the aforementioned countries of parallel accreditation, and, moreover, to inform the concerned Authorities of the said countries about the situation in Cyprus and the Cyprus problem. One of the main goals and tasks of the High Commission is to provide general information on issues concerning Cyprus and offer consular services to Cypriot citizens (visiting India and the aforementioned countries of accreditation or living in these countries), but also to promote the cultural heritage of the Republic. Moreover, the High Commissions Consular Section as well as the Honorary Consuls General and Honorary Consuls provide foreigners, wishing to visit or to establish trade and economic relations with Cyprus, with all necessary information.
4.1.2 The High Commissioner Name: ANDREAS ZENONOS

Military Service: 1975-1977 Education:
1975 Graduated from the Lanition Gymnasium (Limassol) of Cyprus University of Aix-En Provence: DEUG of Sociology (France) Licence of Sociology, Maitrise of Sociology D.E.A. in History (Specialization: Sociology and History of Development)
4.1.3 Political Section

The political section of the High Commission deals with the enhancement of the political cooperation between Cyprus and India as well as between Cyprus and the countries of the High Commissions parallel accreditation (Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam) on issues of bilateral and multilateral interest. The political section communicates to the Government of the Republic of Cyprus the positions of the Government of India and of the Governments of the aforementioned ten countries of accreditation on various regional and international issues, as well as on important political, economic and cultural developments. Moreover, the political section works with politicians, journalists, officials, public figures and academics in a whole range of fields, as well as with the diplomatic missions of the other EU countries, the Delegation of the European Commission and the other diplomatic & consular missions in India.
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4.2
The Honorary Consulate of Cyprus in Dhaka
ABC House (9th Floor), 8, Kemal Ataturk Avenue, Banani, C/A, Dhaka 1213
4.3
The Honorary Consul of Cyprus, Dhaka
Mr. Shahab Sattar Honorary Consul of the Republic of Cyprus in Bangladesh, and The Managing Director of GMG Group
4.4
My Activities
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I have been working in the Cyprus Consulate of Dhaka since January 2009 as a Visa Assistance Officer. My main duty is to translate languages from English to Bengali and Bengali to English during interviews conducted by Cypriot Officers for the approval of student visas to students, from Bangladesh, wishing to study in Cyprus. I am also responsible for administrative duties resulted before, during and after these interviews. These duties included computer data entry, administrative work with documents related to student visas as well as other visas including tourist visa, work permit visa, permanent residence visa, transit visa, acquisition of citizenships, etc. and the production of statistical results concerning the interviews. I have been working under and paid by Cypriot govt. My direct supervisor is Mr. Marios Savvides, Education Officer, Ministry of Education and Culture, Republic of Cyprus. There are other Cypriot Officers I work with/under as an assistant for the smooth operation of visa process and the consulate office. The officers are Mr. Minas Petrou, Mr. Michael Trimikliniotis, Mr. Polydorou Polydoros, and so many. Most of my activities are confidential enough for disclosing in any form of information outside the scope of my job.
From left: Marios Savvides, Me, Michael Trimikliniotis, Minas Petrou
I am interpreting and helping Mr. Minas Petrou during an interview process.
4.5
Entry Requirements of Cyprus
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4.5.1 General conditions of entry and visa information Types of Visas: Short-stay or travel visas: multiple-entry visas
This visa entitles aliens who seek to enter the territory of Cyprus, for reasons other than immigration, to pay a continuous visit or several visits, the duration of which does not exceed three months in any half-year from the date of first entry. As a general rule, this visa may be issued for one or several entries. In the case of aliens who need to travel frequently to Cyprus, for example on business, short-stay visas may be issued for several visits, provided that the total length of these visits does not exceed three months in any half-year. This multiple entry visa may be valid for one year, and in exceptional cases, for more than a year but for no more than five years for certain categories of persons.
Airport Transit Visa (ATV)

If tourists have to pass through the international transit area of Cypriot airports without actually entering the national territory of Cyprus during a stop-over or transfer between two stages of an international flight, tourists might need an Airport Transit Visa. The requirement to have this type of visa is an exception to the general rule to transit without a visa through Cyprus.
Transit visas
If tourists are travelling from one country to another country and tourists have to pass through the territory of the Republic of Cyprus, to do so tourists might need a Transit Visa. This visa may be issued for one transit, or exceptionally for several transits. The duration of each transit case should not exceed five days. The transit visa is issued provided that the entry of the traveler into the territory of the destination country is guaranteed and that the route taken normally requires transit through Cyprus.
4.5.2 Immigration for Employment Purposes Conditions of entry and stay of foreign workers
Applications for the issue of entry and work permits in general categories of employment are submitted to the Civil Registry and Migration Department by the intended employer, through the respective District Aliens and Immigration Branch of the Police, on condition that the foreigners are abroad. The applications should be accompanied by a work contract stamped by the Department of Labor of the Ministry of Labor and Social Insurance.
4.5.3 Immigration for Study Purposes Procedure for issuing the student visa
The entry, residence or practical training of foreign students comes under the jurisdiction of the Civil Registry and Migration Department and every student should possess a relevant residence permit from this Department. The above permit is issued for a specific Educational Institute the foreign student will attend and any change of the Educational Institute means that a new residence permit should be secured.
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Visas issued by the Embassy / High Commission / Consulate of the Republic of Cyprus
Nationals of countries where an Embassy / High Commission / Consulate of the Republic of Cyprus is available in residency should submit to the Admission Office of the chosen educational institution the required documents in order to obtain, on their behalf, a preliminary approval for them to be interviewed at the Embassy/ High Commission/ Consulate of the Republic of Cyprus, in their home country.
Student Visas issued by the Migration Department in Cyprus

Nationals of countries where an Embassy / High Commission / Consulate of the Republic of Cyprus is not available in residency should submit to the chosen educational institution the required documents in order to apply, on their behalf, to the Migration Department, for a student visa.
4.5.4 Residence Cyprus Permanent Immigration Permit

Foreign citizens may make an application to obtain an Immigration Permit on the basis of one of the Categories referred to in Regulation 5 of the Aliens and Immigration Regulations of 1972. An immigration permit will not be granted to anybody unless the Immigration Control Board recommends to the Minister of Interior that such person belongs to one of the following Categories: I. Category A: Persons who intend to work as self employed in agriculture, cattle breeding, bird breeding or fishing in the Republic of Cyprus, provided that they have in their possession adequate land or a permit to acquire same, they have fully and freely at their disposal capital of CY250,000 (see exchange rate to EUR in basic info section 1) and such an employment should not negatively affect the general economy of the Republic of Cyprus.
II.
Category B: Persons who intend to work as self employed in mining enterprises in the Republic of Cyprus, provided that they have in their possession an appropriate permit, they have fully and freely at their disposal capital of CY200,000 and such an employment should not negatively affect the general economy of the Republic of Cyprus. Category C: Persons who intend to work as self employed in a trade or profession in the Republic of Cyprus, provided that they have in their possession an appropriate permit, they have fully and freely at their disposal capital of CY150,000 and such an employment should not affect negatively the general economy of the Republic of Cyprus. Category D: Persons who intend to work as self employed in a profession or science in the Republic of Cyprus, provided that they have academic or professional qualifications, for which there is demand in Cyprus. Possession of adequate funds is also necessary. Category E: Persons who have been offered permanent employment in the Republic, which will not create undue local competition. Category F: Persons who possess and have fully and freely at their disposal a secured annual income, high enough to give them a decent living in Cyprus, without having to engage in any business, trade or profession. The annual income required should be at least CY5,600 for a single applicant and moreover at least CY2,700 for every dependent person, but the Immigration Control Board may demand additional amounts as necessary.
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III.
IV.
V.
VI.
4.5.5 Acquisition of Citizenship/Nationality

Cyprus citizenship can be acquired by: Birth: if any of parents was a Cypriot citizen at the time of the birth; By registration: if he or she is married to a citizen of Cyprus and the two have lived together for at least 3 years; or by Naturalization: persons of full age and capacity who were legally residing in the Republic of Cyprus and who in the last 8 years before their application accumulated more than 5 years of residence or more than 7 years of residence, if they are sports players, sports technicians or coaches or work in International Business Companies, or work for Cypriot employers etc.
5.1
The Tourism Sector of Cyprus: A Brief Overview
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5.1.1 Tourist Capacity

At present there are 613 tourist establishments in operation. In addition, the Tourism Sector comprises of 445 licensed travel agents with 162 branch offices, 2 940 licensed catering and entertainment establishments, 264 licensed tourist guides and a number of other tourist enterprises. The majority of them are small and medium size businesses.
5.1.2 Tourism Policy - OBJECTIVES - Strategy

The Cyprus tourism industry has been long established and has by now reached a mature stage. Looking at the broader international tourism perspectives, as they enter the new millennium, it is obvious that the industry is becoming more and more challenging, with competition getting intense and the needs of the educated traveler becoming increasingly more diverse and sophisticated. The Cyprus Tourism Organization has recognized the importance of satisfying these needs. A new strategic plan defining the vision, goals and strategic direction for the Tourism Sector in Cyprus for the period leading up to the year 2020, has now been completed and approved by the Government. The strategy, therefore, centers on sustainability and focuses on quality rather than on quantity. The basic objective of the strategy is the doubling of receipts from tourism, in real terms, by the year 2020; this objective will be achieved through:
An increase in the per capita spending of tourists, An increase in the average length of stay of tourists, An increase in repeat business, A more even seasonal spread of tourist arrivals, An increase in the number of arrivals. The strategy aims at offering value for money to the visitors, through the upgrading and differentiation of the tourist product.
5.1.3 Liberalization of Foreign Investments

Cyprus has an open free market economy. The Island is often aptly referred to as a southeastern outpost of Europe. Per capita GNP is one of the highest in the Mediterranean. In its effort to attract foreign investment, the Government has further relaxed the rules and regulations applicable to inward investment. In the majority of cases, administrative procedures have been simplified and foreign participation of up to 100 percent is allowed. Applications by foreign investors are approved, provided that the proposed investment satisfies the following basic prerequisites:
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National security matters are not compromised Natural environment conditions are not threatened The Cypriot economy is not harmed The level of investment is adequate
Other industry specific criteria, as well as the extent of foreign participation, are determined by the tourism policy in force. Such applications are examined by the Central Bank in consultation with the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism. According to the tourism policy currently in force, up to 49% foreign participation is allowed in hotels and other tourist establishments (e.g. hotel apartments, villas etc), while in supplementary tourist projects, e.g. golf courses, marinas, etc, up to 100% foreign participation is allowed.
5.2
Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Profile for Cyprus
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The year 2008 had been a difficult one for the Travel & Tourism (T&T) sector. High oil prices through the summer of 2008, diminished tourism demand due to the international economic crisis, and concerns about terrorism have raised many challenges for the industry. Yet, despite these difficulties, the T&T sector remains a critical one for the world economy, still accounting for a significant share of global gross domestic product and employment, and providing an important opportunity for developing countries to move up the value chain toward the production of higher value-added services. In this context, an analysis of the T&T competitiveness of Cyprus is particularly pertinent at this time. This is the fundamental objective of this Travel & Tourism competitiveness analysis.
5.2.1 Key Indicators
The first section presents several key indicators that give a sense of the size of the country and its economy. Population and surface area figures are from the World Banks World Development Indicators Online Database (December 2009). GDP numbers are from the International Monetary Fund (IMF)s World Economic Outlook Database (October 2009 edition). The Environmental Performance Index rankings are from YCELP, Yale University and CIESIN, Columbia University. National sources have been consulted where appropriate.
5.2.2 Travel & Tourism indicators
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The second section presents Travel & Tourism (T&T) indicators that aim to provide a measure of the past, current, and projected future activity of Travel & Tourism in Cyprus. This section is split into two parts: The first part presents data from the Tourism Satellite Accounting Research carried out annually by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC). Developed by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and Euro-stat, the Tourism Satellite Accounting (TSA) framework is a statistical toolincluding concepts, definitions, aggregates, classifications, and tablesthat is compatible with international national accounting guidelines and allows for valid international comparisons. The TSA also makes these estimates comparable with other internationally recognized macroeconomic aggregates and compilations. Using the TSA approach, WTTC estimates the current and projected future economic contribution of Travel & Tourism in terms of an economys GDP and employment. WTTC defines the T&T industry as a narrow perspective of T&T activity that captures the production-side industry contribution (that is, direct impact only). The T&T economy is a broader perspective of Travel & Tourism that takes into consideration the direct as well as the indirect contributions by traditional travel service providers and industry suppliers within the resident economy.
5.2.3 International Tourist Arrivals and Tourism Receipts

The second part of the T&T indicators presents data on international tourist arrivals and international tourism receipts over the period 1995 to 2007. The graph shows all available data during this period for Cyprus economy. The data for these indicators were provided by the UNWTO. The number of international tourist arrivals, expressed in thousands, is the most common unit of measure used to quantify the volume of international tourism for statistical purposes. It includes exclusively overnight visitorsthat is, tourists who stay at least one night in a collective or private accommodation in Cyprus visited. Same-day visitors are not included. The number of arrivals does not necessarily correspond to the number of persons. The same person who makes several trips to Cyprus during a given period will be counted as a new arrival each time.
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International tourism receipts, expressed in millions of current US dollars, are the receipts earned by Cyprus from inbound tourism and cover all tourism receipts resulting from expenditures made by visitors from abroad, on, for instance, lodging, food and drinks, fuel, transport in the country, entertainment, shopping, and so on. This measure includes receipts generated by overnight as well as by same-day trips. Receipts from same-day trips can be substantial, as in the case of countries where a lot of shopping for goods and services takes place by visitors from neighboring countries.
5.2.4 Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index

It presents the economys performance on the Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index (TTCI) and its various components for Cyprus.
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5.2.5 Travel & Tourism competitiveness index in detail

Travel & Tourism competitiveness index in detail presents the rank achieved by Cyprus on each of the indicators entering the composition of the TTCI. Indicators are organized by pillar. Next to the rank, a colored square indicates whether the indicator constitutes an advantage (blue square) or a disadvantage (gray square) for the country. In order to identify variables as advantage or disadvantages, the following rules are applied: For the top 10 economies in the overall TTCI, any variables on which the economy is ranked 10th or higher are considered to be advantages. Any variables ranked below 10 are considered to be disadvantages. For those economies ranked from 11th to 50th on the overall TTCI, any variables with a higher rank than the economys overall rank are considered to be advantages. Any variables ranked equal to, or lower than, the economys overall rank are disadvantages. For economies with an overall rank on the TTCI lower than 50, any variables for which the economy has a rank of 50 or higher are considered to be advantages. Any variables ranked below 50 are considered to be disadvantages.
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5.3
Recent Trends in key Tourism Indicators for Cyprus
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Objectives:
In these figures, I attempt to: illustrate, in a graphical manner, recent trends in Cyprus tourism through a series of indicators focus on figures and survey results to paint a quantifiable picture of the current tourism environment in Cyprus
Sources of Data
Cyprus Tourism Organization Tourist Expenditure Survey Licensed Accommodation Establishments Data Statistical Service of Cyprus (Ministry of Finance, Republic of Cyprus) Passenger Survey Arrivals Passenger Survey Departures
5.3.1 Total Tourist Arrivals and UK Share

As it was a British colony, and a major portion of it is possesed by the British people, most of the tourists came from UK previously. After being a member of EU, tourists from all over EU member countries come these days.
5.3.2 Share (%) of Main Source Markets in Arrivals

Tourist arrivals have reached a plateau with new markets replacing in some cases the more traditional markets. A major percentage of tourists come from the countries like UK, Germany, Greece, Russia, and Nordic countries. The Nordic countries make up a region in Northern Europe and the North Atlantic which consists of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, etc.
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5.3.3 Seasonality Analysis Share (%) of Quarters

Seasonality problems persist as evidenced by both monthly arrivals and the accommodation units average days in operation. In most of the time the weather is very cold there. So, it is high time to visit Cyprus in summer, specially for the tourists from the countries of cold like Cyprus. Thats why the summer season (JulySeptember) consists of major percentage of tourists.
5.3.4 Type of Tour (Package / Individuals)

There is a clear shift from package tourism to individuals. Package tour was dominating individual type of tour and still dominating but at a decreasing rate. The tourists from EU member countries are traveling Cyprus individually now days. The change in political stability encourages tourist to visit Cyprus individually now days.
5.3.5 Tourism Revenue and GDP (% Real Change)
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A great fall in tourism revenue had occurred just after 2001. It is due to change in total tourist arrivals. But it has been getting positive in recent years.
5.3.6 Tourism Revenue Contribution to GDP

Tourisms contribution to the GDP is shrinking as a result of negative /small growth relative to the economy as a whole.
5.3.7 Analyzing Tourism Revenue (Arrivals and Expenditure)

Percentage real change in expenditure is dependent on percentage change in total tourists arrivals.
5.3.8 Expenditure Analysis (Length of Stay and Daily Exp.)

The post-2001 negative trend in real daily tourist expenditure seemed to have been reversed until 2008.
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5.3.9 Arrivals in Licensed Accommodation Units

A frontier is a political and geographical term referring to areas near or beyond a boundary. 'Frontier' was borrowed into English from French in the 15th century, with the meaning "borderland"--the region of a country that fronts on another country.
5.3.10 Type of Accommodation Used by Tourists

Proportion of tourists staying with friends and relatives or in own residences has increased. So, the licensed accommodations have a decreasing rate. Tourists love to stay as paying guests now days.
5.3.11 Domestic and Outbound Tourism

Both domestic and outbound holiday trips have shown steady increase. Domestic tourism: Visits by residents of a country to their own country. Outbound tourism: Visits by residents of a country to another country. Increased propensity for shorter trips.
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5.3.12 Environmental Impact of two-week trip to Cyprus

By some measures tourism is the worlds largest industry, accounting for 11% of global GDP and a similar proportion of world employment. The chart represents each persons annual share of the Earths resources, if they were divided up fairly among the entire population. The World Wide Fund for Nature estimates that a two-week trip to Cyprus takes up half of our annual earthshare.
5.4
Cyprus Tourism Targets Indian Outbound Tourists
Mumbai, Maharashtra, November 5, 2009 /India PRwire/ -- Cyprus, a year-round Mediterranean island destination with a population of close to 800,000 is eyeing the lucrative Indian outbound market. It announced its foray in the Indian market today. Addressing the press in Mumbai, Vassilis Theocharides, Director, Middle East and Gulf, Cyprus Tourism Organization said, "Cyprus is the closest European destination for Indian travelers. Though a modern island nation, it retains an essentially Mediterranean character." He further adds, "English is widely spoken in Cyprus as it was a former British colony and it has more than 19 Indian restaurants, which makes it even more comfortable for the Indian traveler.'' Cyprus is part of the European Union and Indians need a visa to visit Cyprus. They can also visit on a Schengan visa provided they have entered a Schengan country preceding a visit to Cyprus.
Based on the findings about the tourism in Cyprus, the following Recommendations I propose to improve the tourism condition not only for Cyprus but also for the developing countries, especially for Bangladesh.
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6.1
Targets
The maximization of the socio-economic benefits will be pursued mainly through the increase of revenues; this will be the basic index of the success of the strategic plan. The maximization of revenue from tourism will be achieved through the: Increase of the tourists expenditure Improvement of seasonality Increase in arrivals Increase in duration of stay Increase in repeat tourism
Crucial to the achievement of the target of the increase of tourism revenue will be the abandonment of the traditional practice of concentrating mainly on the increase of new arrivals and the turning to the maximization of income earned from tourism. The overall revenue target will be met through the achievement of the predetermined growth rate and the priorities of the different parameters that constitute the revenue target.
6.2
Repositioning
The enhancement of the competitiveness of Cyprus is of critical importance to the achievement of these goals. Cyprus will attempt to reposition itself on the tourist map by exploiting the comparative advantage that allows it to differentiate itself from the competition the great diversity in the tourist experience that Cyprus offers in a relatively small geographical area. The strategic effort for repositioning by 2015 is supported by three component strategies: Marketing Strategy Product Strategy and Quality-Value Added Strategy.
6.2.1 Marketing Strategy

The strategic direction that the marketing of the tourist product is expected to follow calls for a focused and aggressive approach, aiming at developing these markets and market segments that can yield the most for Cyprus tourism.
Market Prioritization and Market Segments

The segmentation of the tourism market was carried out with the new positioning of Cyprus as a tourist destination in mind, and it was based on the motives/reasons for travel (motivational segmentation) for trips as these have been identified in relevant studies and as they are expected to be transformed over the next 10 years according to the changing characteristics and expectations of the tourist clientele.
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The following are the criteria used for the evaluation of these segments: Per person expenditure of tourists Tourist arrivals Average length of stay Improvement of seasonality Repeated tourism Product fit Investment (in marketing and product) Environmental, socio-cultural and economic impact Potential to complement the tourist experience (add-on)
In terms of the geographical segmentation of the market, countries that can constitute source markets for Cyprus were identified, evaluated and prioritized in accordance with the following criteria:
daily per person expenditure average length of stay size of the market towards the Mediterranean in relation to direct competitors the share of Cyprus in the specific markets ability to positively contribute towards the improvement of seasonality accessibility product fit the match of the targeted segments and markets overall trends and market potential
Domestic Tourism
The development and promotion of Domestic Tourism may contribute positively towards the improvement of hotel occupancy rates and the strengthening of the local economies. In addition to that, it enables the locals to become acquainted with their culture and civilization and strengthen their ties with the island.
Communication Strategy
The Communications Strategy aims at creating a clear and unique image and identity for Cyprus and at repositioning the island in the international tourist market. The CTO will take advantage of advertising and the various promotional and public relations tools to systematically project a coherent and unique image on the basis of repositioning. It will also attempt to target selected markets and market segments in the most effective possible way.
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Distribution Strategy
For the time being the greater part of the tourist flow will continue to be channeled to Cyprus through the Tour Operators. However, a differentiated approach to collaboration with the Tour Operators will be followed, so as to cover new areas (upgraded presence in tour operator brochures, inclusion in specialized programs, extension of specialized programs) and to strengthen the cooperation with specialist Tour Operators and Cyprus specialists. In the longer term, a gradual decrease of the dependence on tour operators will be pursued.
6.2.2 Product Strategy

The tourist product offered by a destination determines the type of customer it will attract. The success or failure of a tourist destination in the international tourist market depends to a large extent on the range and quality of the tourist product it offers. In an extremely competitive contemporary marketplace, the winning product is the one that covers and satisfies to the maximum degree possible, the needs and requirements of the customers to which the destination appeals. The proposed Product Strategy aims at the development of a product that: Will exploit the comparative advantage of Cyprus as a tourist destination and will also create the conditions for repositioning the island on the tourist map as a destination offering a multifaceted tourist experience in a relatively small geographical space. Will be based on the sustainability of the tourist sector. Will cover the needs and requirements of the targeted market segments.
Special Interest Products

Cyprus has the potential to develop a wide range of special interest products. Special interest products are products that will function as points of attraction and at the same time they will present opportunities for different activities and recreation. The development of the proposed products is necessary in order to create and offer the multi-dimensional tourist experience on which the repositioning of Cyprus is based, and these products are mainly aimed at the targeted market segments. At the same time, special interest products will combat the most fundamental weakness of the Cyprus tourist product, as it has been identified in the various studies and surveys i.e. the limited opportunities for various activities.
Suggested Special Interest Products

The methodology used identified the following special products, which are aimed at the different targeted market segments and are listed here, in no particular order: Museums Routes: -Cultural -Composite -Thematic Information Centers Conference Centers Coastal Cruises Agro tourism Football Grounds Marine Parks Botanical Gardens
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Infrastructure for Swimming, Exhibitions Track & Field and other sports of priority Golf National Forest Parks Organized Tours Events Cycling Routes Marinas/Fishing Shelters
Most of the above products also cover the basic segment of the Sea and Sun plus clientele. To develop these special products investment will be required from the public sector, (including the local authorities) and the private sector alike.
Accommodation
In order to identify the types of accommodation that should be offered, the needs of the selected market segments were linked to the corresponding types of establishment. The prioritization of the latter was based on the number of the market segments to which they appeal. Based on criteria such as the potential for development of new beds, the required new capacity to satisfy demand until 2015, and on the conclusions drawn from the evaluation of the existing bed stock, the following strategic directions/intervention areas are proposed: The new types of accommodation that will be developed must fall into these categories and classes where a need for new beds was identified; these are the 3 to 5 star hotels, tourist villages, mixed use destination resorts, small units of character and agro-tourist establishments. In order to better serve the targeted market segments, there is a need for the development of new types of accommodation such as mixed use destination resorts and small units of character. The existing accommodation must be upgraded. Accommodation in lower categories must be encouraged either to upgrade to the priority categories and classes or withdraw from the market.
6.2.3 Quality and Value-Added Strategy

The primary aim of the Quality/Value-Added Strategy is to increase the value for money offered to the tourist by improving the relationship between price and quality. Based on the aims of the Strategic Plan, the special targets of the Quality/Value-Added Strategy may be summarized as follows: The maximization of the visitors satisfaction. The offer of a rich and multifaceted tourist experience. The development of a unique character and identity for the destination. The supply of tourist facilities and infrastructure of a greater breadth and attractiveness, and their constant maintenance at high quality levels. The respect and protection of the natural and cultural environments and social values. The attainment and maintenance of high quality service levels. The enhancement of the flexibility, readiness and effectiveness of the tourist sector. The attainment of more rewarding but still competitive prices that will be in line with the quality and the value-added offered. The increase in the productivity and performance for the sector in general. The better use of investment in tourism, and the improvement of its returns. The recruitment of Cypriot citizens for the most part, to meet the human resource needs of the tourist industry. The preservation of the notion of hospitality and authenticity in the dealings of the locals with the tourists, and the development and nurturing of tourist awareness and consciousness. The elevation of the levels of professionalism. There are three basic areas of intervention for the Quality/Value-Added Strategy: Quality Human Resource Development Prices Both the Marketing and the Product Strategies cover in part certain aspects of the above sectors, and contribute positively to the value offered to the tourist.
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7.1
Introduction
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Tourism refers to travel for recreation, leisure, religious, medical or business purposes from one place to another place for maximum one year or less time period. This travel may be domestic or transnational. Tourism is one of the vital service industries and is generating huge revenues for the tourist country. Tourism has become one of the world's most important sources of employment. Initially requires enormous investment in infrastructure but ultimately helps to improve the living conditions of local people. It provides governments with substantial tax revenues. This also helps for transfer of technologies from one place to another. Tourism related jobs and businesses are specially created in developing countries, helping to equalize economic opportunities and keeping rural residents from moving to overcrowded cities. This will in turn create positive impact on gross domestic product. Bangladesh is a land of scenic beauty. The country needs proper strategic management to attract both domestic as well as foreign tourists. For local tourists change of habit to tour different areas of the country is one of the main important components. And for the foreign tourist environment as well as other related facilities and worthy places are being required. Government as well as private sector may come forward to create the base of the tourism. In turn this will create employment generation for the country and add value in the gross domestic product. Though Govt. and private initiatives have been taking but still long way has to go for developing tourism sector. Foreign direct investment in the tourism sector is also being required. Efficiency and effectiveness in the tourism sector is necessary to expand this sector for which strategic leadership, strategic formulation and strategic implementations are being mandatory. This will ultimately help to raise gross domestic product. Tourism sector of Bangladesh needs to be boosted up through strategic management to raise gross domestic product of the country. As such linkage among vision, mission, goal and result are required. This will enhance tourism opportunity of the country .Ultimately this will have positive impact on raising gross domestic product through improving variables of macro economy of the country.
7.2
Analysis of Porters Five Forces Model
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Porters (1979) five force model for competitive analysis is done for Tourism sector of the country which is given below: Competitive Rivalry between Supplier: Both Govt. and private initiatives for developing entrepreneurial activities in the tourism sector should be utilized to provide better services to the tourists. Starting from natural beauty, historical places, good hospitals and health management system, visit of religious places, security, safety, accommodation, and easy transportation etc. should be arranged. Pricing of tour related product should be charged lower than neighboring countries. Threat of New Entrance: In tourism industry of Bangladesh the private and foreign investors are reluctant to invest in tourism sector for the following reasons: The bureaucratic system, involving the approval from several ministries or their agencies; Difficult situation is prevailing in possessing appropriate land at reasonable prices; Low rate of returns on tourism investment particularly outside Dhaka may create hindrances. For the lack of advanced technology man made tourist spots cannot attract foreign tourists. To develop advanced technology the country needs huge amount of investment but due to instability in political/legal environment and image problem, foreigners do not feel encouraged in investing .Without attractive tourism facilities, tourists may change destination. Bargaining Power of Customers: Buyers of this industry are tourists. They should be well conversant about the facilities and get the product at low price but high quality. Information about the facilities should be available for the customers. Websites, Bangladesh Embassies, Non-resident Bangladeshis may help prospective foreign tourists in this aspect .In case of local tourists, tour operator should facilitate the process towards the prospective domestic tourists. Bargaining Power of Suppliers: Outgoing tourists from China are expected to exceed 100 million in the next three years. Indians will also be moving around as tourists. Bangladesh needs to attract them and improve relationship and communication system with China and India will be helpful for attracting tourists. Tourists from other countries should be attracted through providing better services at a cheap price. Threat of Substitute products: Arrangement for entertainment, transportation facilities, and travel places must have substitute products. For medical tourism different criteria of health related services and hospitals must be available. Depending on the product facilities tourists may choose best alternatives otherwise they may switch to another country where they get better services.
7.3
Integrated Strategy for Developing Tourism Sector of Bangladesh

Following strategies may be pursued in Bangladesh:
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Fig: Integrated strategy for developing tourism sector of Bangladesh Without strategic leadership, organization cannot be built. Both Govt. and private organizations need to be readdressed the issue and seriously consider to develop strategic leadership. Quality leadership will develop the organization and driven out the inefficiency and ineffectiveness. Below the study will discuss different strategy formulation and implementation.
The study will discuss different strategy formulations and implementations in the following Table: Types of Strategies should be taken for Strategy Formulations Strategy Implementations
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Strategy for raising Gross Domestic Product
To increase employment generation, redistribution income effects, increase of purchasing power to raise gross domestic product. Bangladeshi artistic handicrafts and monuments can be popularized. Long term policy should be taken to develop health sector and to utilize religious tourism. To raise interest in tourism activities and creating low-cost tourist facilities. Development, preservation and maintenance of tourism resources of the country. Opening a field of investment for private and foreign direct investment.
Strategy for increasing foreign exchange earnings Creating favorable image of Bangladesh abroad.
The local people adjacent to the tourism products are reaping benefit of the tourism business. In Coxs Bazar, the worlds longest sea beach, various number of tourism activities are taking place. The rate of unemployment is almost negative. The poor people may find tourism as their livelihood through producing and selling handicrafts, monuments etc. to the tourists. Small entrepreneurs should come with the ventures. Similarly people of the Kuakata can also enjoy positive benefits for tourism. They may get employment opportunities as well as business opportunities. Investment for establishing International standard hospitals and preparing doctors, nurses, technologists are essentially required. Religious spots and gathering should be arranged. Safety and security should be provided for which law and order situation should be improved. Many Tourist Information Center are going to establish in different important points of the country especially at Airports and land ports. Different standard accommodations and various facilities are being established like: Construction of Parjatan Motels at Coxs Bazar, Kuakta, Bogra, Dinajpur, Rajshahi, Chittagong, Rangpur, Chittagong Hill Districts (Rangamati, Khagrachhari, Bandarban) and Teknaf, Heron point. Construction of world class hospitals and establishment of medical colleges under joint venture or outer campus of high ranking Medical colleges of the developed countries and recruiting doctors, nurses and technologists by the initiatives of private sector is essential. As a part of publicity & marketing activities, two video films named Visit Bangladesh and Discover Bangladesh have been produced. Colorful Brochures and folders have been printed describing the tourism products/ places of attractions in Bangladesh. Aggressive marketing is needed not only within the country but also outside the country. Bangladesh Embassy at abroad should work as a publicity campaign to encourage foreigners to tour. Special entertainment arrangements may be allowed for the tourists in special areas. Only those who are tourists can enjoy these recreational facilities.
Creating recreational facilities for foreign tourists.
Strategy for Environmenttal Management
Strategy for product diversification
Conservation of ecosystem in coastal zone and islands and build up eco-tourism in the area based on the natural bio-diversity for tourism To attract local and foreign tourists through development and maintenance of products
The worlds largest mangrove forest has been designated only for the eco-tourism activities. Bangladesh has formed a taskforce, which determined five objectives for the development of tourism in Bangladesh. However, negative repercussion should be cautiously handled.
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Strategy for infrastructural development
To develop the infrastructure at tourist sites BPC, NTO. Private and foreign initiatives and investment also required.
Strategy for improving transportation system
To improve and develop easy and best traveling way
Strategy for Human Resources Development
Human Resource Development in Tourism sector is necessary to develop quality tourism professionals and products.
Total tourism products are diversified with: Archaeological sites; ecotourism products; Natural Products/Tourist Attractions; Religious products; Modern or Manmade tourism products; Historical or other potential tourism attractions; Cultural Attractions; Medical products BPC has been promoting and creating various tourist facilities across the country. It has created as many as 29 tourism units at different places of tourist attractions of Bangladesh in order to facilities to the tourists. BPCs vacant lands are being leased out to private sector investors to create tourist facilities. Private sector and foreign direct investment is required to establish world class hospitals, preparing good environment, management of hospitals hiring doctors and nurses and others from not only Bangladesh but also from abroad. They can consider establishing outer campus of the high ranking and well reputed medical colleges of the developed nations. Bishwa Ijtema and other religious festivals can be more systematically arranged to attract both domestic and foreign tourists. As such religious places infrastructure should be developed with greater vision and mission Improvement in road communication should be connected north to south and east to west cities without much trouble and hindrance. Bus services should be improved; Rail-way intercity train service has considerable network to cover the major cities with the capital city. However, services of the railway should be better; Railway line should be established up to Teknaf from Chittagong; Hill tract area should be come under well connected Railway and air system. The inland waterway facilitates easy and cheaper sources of transportation and possesses a great potential for tourism development; The government should maintain international standard of airport in Chittagong, Sylhet, Syedpur and Coxs bazaar for easy movement of tourists. Private airlines should come forward to cover different tourist spots; Heron point should be well connected not by only sea transport but also air system. Actually strategic leadership should be developed in all sorts of organizations related to tourism sectors to enhance tourism and obtaining as a source of income generations for the individual organization as well as national level of the country. Bangladesh has created National Hotel and Tourism Training Institute through which it has been providing 2-year long diploma in Hotel Management as well as
training on six disciplines (Front Office and secretarial operation; Travel agencies and tour operation; food and Beverage production; Food and Beverage services; Housekeeping and Laundry operation; Bakery and pastry production). University of Dhaka has established Tourism and Hospitality Management dept. and providing BBA and MBA degree. Moreover, some private university has started this Tourism and Hospitality dept. Recently under private sector initiatives some good hospitals and diagnostics centers has been established. But these hospitals numbers should be raised at least ten times. Moreover, the country needs highly qualified doctors, good nurses and technologists who can also be recruited from abroad. Especially nurses should be recruited from abroad unless the quality and behavioral attitude of the nurses of the country cannot be developed.
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The government should appoint a high-powered board to regulate tourism related industries under holistic approach by taking the services of knowledgeable persons both from private and public sectors. This should help in policy formulations and assist in boosting this sector by removing all barriers that currently hamper a smooth growth. The negative image of Bangladesh, depicted abroad for some time, needs to be corrected. This will require holistic approach and a massive marketing campaign to improve image of Bangladesh outside the country. The government may arrange confidence to attract investment by the private and foreign sector in hotels, motels, restaurants, theme parks, entertainment centers, hospitals, religious places and the like. Tax holidays and other incentives could encourage investment by both local and foreign entrepreneurs. Trade fairs and other promotional activities and marketing campaigns, from time to time, will be good for obtaining its results.
Conclusions
In case of tourism, Bangladesh is far from take-off stage. This stage should be pushed upward. In terms of tourism beautification out of total 136 countries, Bangladesh's position which is 129 should be improved for which massive investment from the private and public sector is required. As such special provision should be taken in the Sixth Five year plan which will be prepared by the Ministry of Planning of the Government of Bangladesh. The visa restrictions for the tourists must be relaxed. Immigration officials need to be friendly. Trained manpower can do miracles. The tour operators need to be professional in providing those services. Good law and order and uninterrupted power supply are essential as it would be necessary to have all support infrastructures in place. The public and private universities and professional human resource development institutes have to pay attention to create the professionals for the tourism and hospitality industry for domestic and foreign employment.
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I have never been to Cyprus, but I know much about this tourism developed country both from my job and the courses I studied in my MBA. It is a great pleasure for me to work for the Cypriot govt. as well as to help people from Bangladesh willing to go to Cyprus. In one and about a half year journey of my job, I have achieved practical knowledge regarding Embassies and the visa process. Importantly, the activities of Embassies and Consulates have direct impact on tourism. So, thats a great experience for me. In my internship report, I tried to highlight overall tourism of Cyprus which is represented in the findings of the report. I invest my best effort to prepare this report in where I have tried to find out several problems and suggested major some recommendations for Cyprus and Bangladesh. I hope, my suggestions will help to improve tourism both in Bangladesh and Cyprus.
References
Malhotra, K. Naresh (2007-2008) Marketing Research - An Applied Orientation. 5th Edition, Prentice-Hall India Publications Inc., New Delhi Goeldner, R. Charles and Ritchie, Brent J. R. (2006) Tourism Principles, Practices, Philosophies. 10th Edition, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey. Rose A, 2005, The foreign service and foreign trade: Embassies as export promotion, NBER Working Paper 11111 Cyprus Tourism Organization (2003). Strategy for the sustainable development of tourism. Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, Republic of Cyprus. World Tourism Organization (2005). World Tourism Barometer. Volume 3, No.3 Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Presidential Palace Avenue, 1447, Nicosia, Cyprus Eugene D, Jaffe & Israel, D, Nebenzahl (2001) National Image and Competitive Advantage: The Theory and Practice of Country of Origin Effect "Information on the Tourist Industry". High Commission of the Republic of Cyprus in New Delhi. http://www.mfa.gov.cy/mfa/highcom/highcom_newdelhi.nsf/DMLindex_en/DMLindex_en?OpenDo cument "Cyprus Travel & Tourism - Climbing to new heights." (PDF). Accenture. World Travel and Tourism Council. 2009. http://www.wttc.org/2006TSA/pdf/Cyprus.pdf. Retrieved 2007-03-02. "UNWTO member states". World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). http://www.unwto.org/states/eng.html. "Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index". World Economic Forum. 2009. http://www.weforum.org/en/initiatives/gcp/TravelandTourismReport/index.htm. "Cyprus Travel & Tourism - Climbing to new heights." (PDF). Accenture. World Travel and Tourism Council. 2006. http://www.wttc.org/2006TSA/pdf/Cyprus.pdf. "Comparative indicators 2007" (.xls). Statistical Service of the Republic of Cyprus. 2007. http://www.mof.gov.cy/mof/cystat/statistics.nsf/All/590548538F11309FC2256D400047C22A/$file/CO MPARATIVE-INDICATORS-TABLE2-EN-240107.xls?OpenElement.
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Ali,Mobasher(2008):Bangladesh Studies(Bangladesher Sandhanaya),Student Ways,Dhaka,4th Edition. Ali, Muhammad Mahboob and Mohsin, Chowdhury Sifat e(2008): Different aspects of Tourism Marketing Strategies with special reference to Bangladesh: An Analysis ,Business Review, A Journal of Business Administration, Khulna University, Vol.6, No.1&2,January-Decmber, 2008. Ansari, Mohammad Nayeem Aziz, Akter, Shahnaj and Huq,Muhammad Jahedul (2006). Environmental Impact of Tourism: A Case study on St. Martins Island , Journal of Business and Technology, Vo.1,Issue:1. Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation (2004). Bangladesh tourism vision 2020, Morshed , M. Mahbubur Rahman(editor),Dhaka. Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation (2008). Tourism Statistics of Bangladesh-2007, Dhaka, Bangladesh. Baisakalova, Azhar(2009):Economy Diversification: Tourism Cluster Competitiveness and Sustainability, The Second International Conference organized by the Global Business and Management Forum on World Financial Crisis and Global Business Challenges University of Dhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh. Bhakta,Nirmal Chandra,Khan,Hasan tareq and Chakraborty,Amitabh(2010):Prospect of Tourism Sector in Bangladesh :A Case Study, paper presented at the 17th Biennial Conference on The economy at the golden Jubilee of war of liberation: What type of Bangladesh we would like to see? organized by Bangladesh Economics Association held on 8-10 at Osmani Memorial Auditorium and Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh, Dhaka. Porter, M.E. (1979) : How competitive forces shape strategy, Harvard business Review, March/April Quader, Shams Bin (2008): A land with potential for Tourism, The Daily Star,31 st January The Bangladesh Monitor (2010): Volume: XIX, Issue No. 22, July 1-15 The Daily Star (2010): Millions to attend Muslim pilgrimage In Bisha Ijtema, 22 January The New Nation (2010): Pvt sector tourism plays vital role, report of BSS, June 14
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Appendixes
Some pictures of the work place and the people of my organization are given below:
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January 09: We are with Cypriot Officers Ms. Petrolla, and Ms. Christia
January 09 at a Restaurant: We are with the Cypriot officers Ms. Christia, Ms. Petrolla, Mr. Costa, Mr. Popoulas, and former Director Admin of GMG Airlines Mr. Moin Uddin.
January 09 at a Restaurant: We are with the Cypriot officers Ms. Christia, Ms. Petrolla, Mr. Costa, Mr. Popoulas, and former Director Admin of GMG Airlines Mr. Moin Uddin.
June 09 at office: With my organizational supervisor Mr. Marios Savvides, and Mr. Minas Petrou.
48
January 10 at Westin hotel: From left: Mr. Marios Savvides, Mr. Michael Trimikliniotis, Me, Mr. Minas Petrou.
January 10 at Dhaka Airport, we were going toChittagong: From left: Mr. Polydoros, Mr. Minas Petrou, and me.
September 09 at Basundhara City, waiting for Azan to take my Iftar in Ramadan: From left: Mr. Minas Petrou, Mr. Marios Savvides, and me.
June 10 at the front desk of Jamuna Resort: From left: Mr. Polydoros, Mr. Michael Trimikliniotis, and Mr. Tasos.

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Internship Report | Visa Assistance Officer | Honorary Consulate of Cyprus, Dhaka

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