The bones of martyred saints and sombre shrines may not be at the top of every tourist's must-see holiday wish list. But the Mediterranean island of Cyprus, better known as a major European sun-and-sea spot, is determined to delve into its rich cultural heritage and exploit the budding - and more wholesome - market of religious tourism.
"We are more than just a sand and sea, and sex destination," said George Michaelides, chairperson of the Cultural and Special Interest Tourism Association.
Industry officials say about 100 000 of the island's 2,5-million tourists already come for the cultural and religious monuments and the market has seen a boost since Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code made religious quests popular.
"Cyprus has always been associated with religion. In earlier times there was no ship going to the Holy Land without stopping at Cyprus. We are known as the island of saints," Michaelides said.
According to the World Tourism Organisation, up to 330-million pilgrims visit the world's key religious sites yearly. Cyprus is eager to take a bite out of this growing market and boost its main industry.
In co-operation with the Church of Cyprus and tourism officials, it is launching religious tours for the first time this European summer.
"Cyprus packs a huge amount of monuments in such a small space," said Vakis Loizides, a tourist officer at the Cyprus Tourism Organisation (CTO). "The island's special relationship with saints, like Lazarus and Helen, make it very attractive."
Visitors can go on a tour tracing the footsteps of Saint Paul, who travelled from Antioch to Cyprus in 45AD, and visit the pillar in the town of Paphos where he was tortured and, according to his second Epistle to the Corinthians, given "40 bar one lashes" for preaching Christianity.
Or they can visit the church of Saint Lazarus, who tradition says came to Cyprus after his resurrection by Christ, and served as a bishop there.
"We are seeing an increase in demand," said Angelos Mylonas, manager at Mantovani Plotin Travel. "After The Da Vinci Code, there is an interest from people to see Greek Orthodox churches."
Scattered over the Troodos mountains, Cyprus's 10 medieval timber-roofed churches, listed as Unesco world heritage monuments for their stunning wall paintings, are at the top of many religious tourists' lists, he added.
"Tourists already know where they are going and what they want to see. They are extremely well read, they know places not even we are aware of," Mylonas said.
A 300 000 Cyprus Pound (R4,97-million) tourist office campaign part-funded by the European Union and the Cypriot government is aimed primarily at travellers from Greece and Orthodox nations of the former communist bloc like Russia, but also at Orthodox communities in the United States, Britain and Australia.
The CTO is publishing religious tourism guides in several languages and a travelling exhibition of Orthodox artefacts is also planned.
Officials say apart from the large number of shrines spanning millennia, Cyprus's comparative advantage is that it houses monuments of different religions, including one of Islam's most important mosques, the 648AD Hala Sultan Tekke in the town of Larnaca.
"Cyprus is tolerant to various dogmas. Tourists can see Muslim and Orthodox monuments co-exist. This is very special," Loizides said.
He said the Church, originally sceptical about anything to do with tourism which it associates with lewd behaviour, is now eager to promote "religious culture tours". It is co-operating in planning festivals and ceremonies so tourists can attend them.
"There is international interest in religious tourism. Given the violence and wars in the world, there is a belief that if developed properly, it can lead to a dialogue between cultures," he said. - Reuters