Cyprus Tourism Organisation seeks agency for £2.3m global account

The Cyprus Tourism Organisation (CTO) is preparing to review its &£2.3m global advertising account. The business is handled by Scholz & Friends London.

The body will officially announce the tender for the business in the next two weeks as part of its biennial review. It last reviewed the account in 2003 when Scholz won it from Bates, who had handled it for four years.

A CTO spokeswoman says that the successful agency will be given a two-year contract, and that its first task will be to start work on a campaign for the 2006 season. She says: “We will launch the campaign as soon as they can produce the material.”

CTO is running a television, press, poster and radio campaign with the strapline “The island for all seasons”. It aims to promote the Mediterranean island as a family destination.

In recent years, Cyprus has become associated with clubbing holidays thanks to the popularity of resorts such as Ayia Napa. However the CTO is keen to distance itself from that rowdy image and to develop a family reputation (MW August 14 2003).

The media buying account in the UK, which is reviewed annually, is held by Initiative Media. It will be not be affected by the review.