More than 100 students at Netanya Academic College took part in a competition to develop a tourism campaign for Cyprus, putting their communications and business studies to work on a project designed to mirror the demands of a professional advertising agency.
The competition, held in cooperation with the Cyprus Ministry of Tourism, concluded this week with a final event at the college, where a three-member team was awarded first place. The winners received a three-day vacation in Cyprus, including flights and hotel accommodation.
Students from the college’s schools of Communications and Business Administration worked in multidisciplinary teams during the summer semester. Their assignment included developing campaign slogans and concepts, designing outdoor advertising, producing social media content including TikTok videos and stories, and proposing branding ideas for suitcases.
Cyprus Ambassador to Israel Kornelios Korneliou, Cyprus Tourism Office in Israel Director Louisa Varaklas, Netanya Academic College Vice President and Rector Prof. Moshe Gelbard, School of Communications Dean Prof. Uzi Eliada and the course instructors attended the final event.
Korneliou told the students that the project went beyond encouraging Israeli tourism to Cyprus. “Through this project, you are not only encouraging more Israeli tourists to travel to Cyprus, but at the same time you are bringing academia and diplomacy closer together, because you are becoming ambassadors for Cyprus in Israel,” he said.
Netanya Academic College develop outdoor ads for Cyprus
(Photo: Netanya Academic College)
Varaklas said the project offered tourism officials an opportunity to see Cyprus through the eyes of young communications professionals. “It was fascinating to see the connection that was created between the academic world and the world of tourism,” she said.
“One of the particularly interesting aspects was gaining insight into the students' perspective as future communications professionals and seeing how they view Cyprus as a tourism destination, which aspects of the destination appeal to them, and how they choose to tell its story.”
She said the students produced work at a level comparable with that of a professional advertising agency. “The work produced was at a professional level that would not have been out of place in an active advertising agency, which is certainly impressive, especially considering that these students are still at the beginning of their professional careers,” Varaklas said.
Netanya Academic College work on Cyprus tourism campaign
(Photo: Netanya Academic College)
“I greatly appreciate the cooperation with the College and with Uri Ovrutzki, who led the project, and I hope this is only the beginning of a shared journey and of additional collaborations in the future.”
The course and project were led by lecturer, advertising professional and social entrepreneur Uri Ovrutzki and Dr. Maya Mazor, the college’s director of community, business and academic relations.
Organizers said bringing together students from communications and business administration was intended to give them practical experience working across disciplines and presenting their ideas to industry and international representatives.
“When you teach innovation, you simply cannot allow your students to learn only from books and theories,” Ovrutzki said. “The world is moving too fast, and our role is to prepare them for the real thing. The international cooperation with Cyprus enabled the students to create a campaign that is actually usable.”