Destination Cyprus

Our next guest made history in 2012 as the first Cypriot to bring home an Olympic Medal. And he went and did it again this year, over a decade after his unprecedented success sent ripples through our country and the sporting scene at large. Pavlos Kontides does not disappoint with his vision, passion, dedication, mental fortitude, and down-to-earth approach to life following his double win. A national treasure, he has cemented himself on the global circuit as one of the finest sailors in the ...

It’s hard to imagine pairing the word ‘insurance’ with a disruptive visionary who exudes passion and charisma. Driven by an unwavering commitment to change, Cypriot entrepreneur Emilios Markou has already redefined the sector in Greece and Romania and is now expanding to other underserved markets across Europe. Innovative, people and customer-centric, the Co-founder and Executive Director of full-stack insurance company “Hellas Direct” shares the highs and pitfalls of the start-up journey wit...

Many of us left Cyprus and stayed away for decades to pursue a career in the arts. If you had a passion for the world of entertainment, for TV or film, you had to go where the work was; and it wasn't here. Our next guest is part of a long overdue change for the island. She has made history with the first Cypriot production on Netflix. A film shot entirely in Cyprus, with a lead actor and major streaming collaboration that are putting us in the spotlight. Discover all about 'Find Me Falling' a...

We thought we met in Monaco in 2017. It was actually 2012 — the length of a bible, indeed! I never lost touch with this man since. He is profound, in every way. Ranked in the top four of the world's leading high net worth advisers, John is known for far more than his legal mind and his negotiating skills. A brand in his own right, he is an industry ambassador, a consulting superyacht advisor, a podcaster, a writer and a PhD researcher. He is also a fellow Cypriot; his deep-rooted, growing lov...

Despite what he says, crunching data doesn't make our next guest any less of a real estate guru. His grasp of the sector, his hands-on experience in setting up large-scale real estate platforms and in repositioning real estate assets, equip him to consult on any related topic with the expertise of someone who has indeed been at it for decades! In this podcast episode, we cast a spotlight on Pavlos Loizou and his compelling career, we talk about staying relevant, the advent of artificial intel...

Hard to imagine, but fifteen years ago Instagram didn’t exist. In fact, the first hashtag was invented in 2007. We used to buy newspapers and magazines, we used to read articles and press releases, we used to watch long-form interviews on terrestrial channels. We used to buy 'The Cyprus Weekly' on a Friday too – remember those days? Our next guest appeared on our radar fifteen years ago, as the Limassol correspondent for our top-selling national English-language newspaper; a journalist with f...

The festive season is upon us, and we couldn’t think of a better way to step into Christmas than with a sprinkle of musical magic. This month’s guest is an acclaimed international musical theatre performer, the star of some of our favourite Broadway and West End shows. He has performed all over the globe and this January, he is joining forces with Limassol’s TrakArt Pops Orchestra and Funraising Charity Foundation, to bring the West End to Cyprus. Best known for his leading roles in The Phant...

Already firmly established, despite being in operation for no more than two and a half years, TechIsland is a non-profit organisation with a clear objective: to transform Cyprus into a recognised international Tech Hub. At the organisation's helm, General Manager Marios Giorgoudis and Head of Operations Tanya Romanyukha, are a charismatic intellectual powerhouse driving the mission of its people and steering the activities for the island's tech ecosystem at large. In this episode, we delve in...

He's a quintessential entrepreneur: The co-founder and CEO at Heart Group, the co-founder of Reflect Festival, the co-founder of TechIsland, the co-founder of Workin Spaces, the co-founder of Whitebeam Ventures, the co-founder of Heart Hotels...and he's only 32. He has been integral to putting the city of Limassol and our beautiful island on the map in ways that are beyond his years; he continues to create waves in the tech world; he is quite simply unstoppable when it comes to evoking change...

From vision to reality, Limassol Marina has become a symbol of what we are capable of in Cyprus when we come together to deliver something transformative for our country, its image and economy. The shareholder companies behind the project believed they could bring an award-winning superyacht destination to fruition. They did it. A passionate team of individuals also believed they could firmly establish an annual boat show that would put Cyprus on the map, internationally. They did that too. T...

I have known Chris for years…from a distance. In fact, in a country the size of Cyprus, it would be far more accurate to say I have known ‘of’ Chris for years. Today’s podcast was a stark reminder of the true value of meaningful connections and that precious face-to-face contact we came so close to losing in the aftermath of the pandemic. I got to know the man behind the CEO of the award-winning international communications agency, his passion for the pioneering business – built from the grou...

The juxtaposition is fitting, of course. A diplomat and a chicken delving into the magic that is: the Limassol Carnival. Today's guest has put his passion where his pen is and written an absolutely fascinating, and historically invaluable, book about this annual ritual in Cyprus. Over 14 years and 160 interviews later, he has given us a compilation of stories and photographs that will make you ache with nostalgia and launch you into a state of colour, laughter, dance, and celebration. Stelios...

The names of today's guests have become synonymous with the Cyprus wine industry and its compelling evolution over the past two decades. Integral to a new, improved and competitive image, that puts our wineries on the map internationally, Sophocles Vlassides and Rebecca Argyrides open up about their respective journeys into winemaking, the rewards and pitfalls of the job, the passion that drives the quality and vision for the future. CHAPTERS: 00:00 Episode intro 01:29 Guest intro 02:37 A lit...

Over a decade at the helm of Cyprus’ leading luxury property developer – the company behind landmark projects like The Oval, Limassol Marina, Trilogy Limassol Seafront, and a member of the Lanitis Group – Michalis Hadjipanayiotou has played a key role in changing the face of Limassol. He is the CEO of Cybarco Development Ltd, the Chairman of The Cyprus Land and Building Developers' Association and a Director on various Boards. With more than twenty years of leadership experience across multip...

Episode one is on its way soon! Follow us on social media, subscribe to Cybarco on YouTube, or find Destination Cyprus on your favourite podcast channel to receive your notification.Listen to Destination Cyprus:Spotify - https://spoti.fi/3VmA6GHApple podcast - https://apple.co/3GI7VxXFollow Cybarco:Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cybarcoFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/cybarcoTwitter - https://twitter.com/cybarcoLinkedin - https://linkedin.com/company/cybarco-development-ltdSponsor:C...

Coming soon...Listen to Destination Cyprus:Spotify - https://spoti.fi/3VmA6GHApple podcast - https://apple.co/3GI7VxXFollow Cybarco:Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cybarcoFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/cybarcoTwitter - https://twitter.com/cybarcoLinkedin - https://linkedin.com/company/cybarco-development-ltdSponsor:Cybarco - https://www.cybarco.com/