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Cyprus will promote the film industry, electronic commerce, and research and innovation, while pushing forward with its long-term tourism strategy, the Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism George Lillikas indicated at the opening ceremony of the 31st Cyprus International Fair on May 25.
Lillikas said that both the private and public sectors have adapted to the challenges and the prospects of the EU and that the government has been investing in the development of research and innovation, training and re-training of personnel, technological upgrading and improvement of know-how. He added that efforts are underway to simplify legal business procedures to reduce operation costs and to set up a comprehensive investment promotion agency.
The Minister also referred to the creation of the Science and Technology Park, which will constitute the infrastructure for the development of research. He said that it would be the place which will host the planned research centres, business incubators and the innovative rapid growth businesses.
The Technology Park is due to be housed in Pendakomos, between Nicosia and Limassol, while to keep the mayor happy, one part of the Limassol Technical University will be housed in downtown Limassol according to Financial Mirror sources.
Lillikas also mentioned the film industry - a strategy that appears to have come out of his recent visit with President Tassos Papadopoulos to India.
He said that government policy aims to promote film production and electronic trade while the Tourist Development Strategy 2003-2010 is being implemented very rapidly to upgrade and enrich the country's tourist product.
The Chairman of the Cyprus State Fairs Authority Loris Tryfon said that more than 350 exhibitors are displaying products and services of 1500 companies from Cyprus and abroad, noting that the Authority expects more than 130,000 visitors.
Tryfon said future planning includes a state of the art conference centre to accommodate thousands of delegates, to be called EXPO-CYPRUS.
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