The Paphos Regional Tourism Board (Etap) is continuing its efforts to promote the district’s rural areas, aiming to increase the number of visitors to local communities, according to a statement released on Friday.

The board’s campaign, which is now extended until December 2023, focuses on promoting various museums and information centres in the area.

This initiative emphasises sites like the Regional Museum of Rural Life in Akamas, the Geological and Paleontology Information Centre in Arodes, the Regional Information Centre for Birdlife and Terrestrial Flora in Kathikas, and the modern Turtle Museum in Inia.

“Etap, through this campaign, primarily utilizes Facebook and Instagram channels to invite both locals and foreign visitors, as well as permanent residents, to explore these unique landmarks at any time during their operational hours,” the board explained.

“The aim is to allow individuals to closely experience the beautiful wider area of Laona-Akamas,” it added.

It’s worth noting that entry to all these centres is free of charge, and this effort aligns with the strategic goals of Etap Paphos, local authorities, and the Ministry of Tourism to highlight the outdoors, promote its unique features, and restore it to a path of sustainable development.

For further information, the board shared the following contact details:

Drouseia / Regional Museum of Rural Life Akamas, Tel. 26332561 Facebook Link

Inia / Turtle Museum, Tel. 26332002 Museum Link

Arodes / Geological and Paleontological Information Center Akamas, Tel. 26332332 Facebook Link

Kathikas / Regional Information Center for Birdlife and Terrestrial Flora Akamas, Tel. 26220128 Visitor Centre Link

The CLUSTER European project, which aimed to provide free education, training, and guidance in innovative and sustainable agricultural sectors, has concluded successfully, according to an announcement by the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Keve).

The CLUSTER project was co-funded by the European Union through the ENI CBC Mediterranean Basin cross-border programme.

“In close collaboration with its partners and external collaborators, Keve developed an educational programme designed to promote employment in sustainable agricultural sectors of the economy,” Keve said.

The programme included three stages of training, including online education, face-to-face training, and on-site training with compensation.

The online education session was conducted through the CLUSTER platform, which generated substantial interest with 327 registrations.

Those who successfully completed the training received a participation certificate.

The online education covered topics such as organic farming, hydroponics, aquaponics, sustainable food processing, and soft skills.

The public, notably, showed particular interest in organic farming, hydroponics, and sustainable food processing.

Participants who successfully completed the online training had the opportunity to proceed to the next stage of on-site training. These workshops were conducted by external experts and took place from July 3 to July 14, 2023, lasting 25 hours.

In total, 30 unemployed young people and women participated in this educational journey dedicated to learning, development, and practical experience.

The trainees gained valuable knowledge that will undoubtedly enrich their understanding of sustainable agriculture in the coming years.

Participants who successfully completed the on-site training had the opportunity to further deepen their knowledge through 30 hours of practical exercises in July and August.

During this phase, 24 trainees participated and were hosted by 10 industry companies, specifically Alion Vegetables & Fruits Co Ltd, Planty Hydroponic Greenhouses, BioCorner Grocery, Regenas Gardens, Be Natural, Popi Nassou Organic Farming, Konnaris Green Farming, Melissochora Beeland Ltd, Minas Hydroponic Greenhouses.

This journey, as noted by Keve, represented a comprehensive package of learning, development, and practical experience.

Trainees gained valuable knowledge, covering a wide range of topics, from plant cultivation to understanding soil health, and from applying environmentally friendly techniques to assessing the delicate balance of nature.

The floating drilling rig, Transocean Barents, departed from Limassol this week, en route to the Kronos gas field.

Once there, it will conduct drilling operations on behalf of Italy’s ENI in the Kronos-2 target area, within Block 6 of Cyprus’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), approximately 160 kilometres southwest of the island, according to information obtained by the Cyprus News Agency (CNA).

The drilling operation is expected to last until the end of this year or early 2024, based on updated sources.

Transocean Barents had completed drilling for TotalEnergies in the Lebanese EEZ by late October.

In August 2022, Italy’s ENI announced the discovery of an estimated 2.5 trillion cubic feet of natural gas in the Kronos-1 target, indicating the potential for additional quantities to be explored through further drilling in the region.

The Kronos-2 drilling will mark ENI’s third operation within Block 6, following the Kronos-1 target and the Kalypso field drilling in 2018.

ENI holds a 50 per cent stake in Block 6 and operates as the block’s manager, with TotalEnergies participating with an equivalent share.

The Cyprus Stock Exchange (CSE) ended Friday, November 3 with losses.

The general Cyprus Stock Market Index was at 126.58 points at 12:35 during the day, reflecting a decrease of 0.42 per cent over the previous day of trading.

The FTSE / CySE 20 Index was at 76.76 points, representing a drop of 0.43 per cent.

The total value of transactions came up to €115,909.

In terms of the sub-indexes, the main and investment firm indexes fell by 0.83 per cent and 2.96 per cent respectively. The alternative index rose by 0.29 per cent while the hotel index remained unchanged.

The biggest investment interest was attracted by the Bank of Cyprus (no change), Hellenic Bank (-0.45 per cent), Petrolina Holdings (no change), Demetra Holdings (-3.08 per cent), and the Cyprus Cement Company (+2.42 per cent).