Sunvil founder Noubar ‘John’ der Parthog has died

Sunvil has today paid tribute to its founder Noubar ‘John’ der Parthog, who passed away peacefully on May 19 at the age of nearly 91.

Sunvil and ABTA chairman Noel Josephides said he had ‘lost a friend of 50 years’ standing’.

Born in Ethiopia in 1927, John is survived by his wife Gwynneth, his two children Dudley and Judith, and his recently-married granddaughter Suzanne.

An innovator in the truest sense, it was John’s belief that tourism should be used as a tool for good that led to the establishment of Cyprus Property Tours in 1968.

The idea was to rent rural houses to visitors to breathe life into the island’s ailing villages and to provide an income to those who could no longer afford to remain in their family homes due to the economic shift from inland to the coast.

In 1970 Sunvil was formed and Josephides started to work with John, initially as an agent and subsequently as a partner.

John’s ethos and beliefs formed an integral part of the company’s approach to holidays and went on to have a significant influence on the career of Josephides, who is also Chair of the Travel Foundation and a director of AITO.

"Some 48 years later, Sunvil still promotes rural properties and hotels in the mountain villages of Cyprus, and works tirelessly to promote tourism to the island that both empowers the local population and instils pride; it’s an approach that has been adopted across Sunvil’s entire portfolio.Find the real country, Sunvil’s strapline, is all about the company’s desire for its holidays to benefit host communities and to offer its guests an immersive experience; this will be John’s lasting legacy," said the operator in a statement.

John was passionate about the travel industry and, until recent weeks, he was in the Sunvil office daily, remaining an active member of the Sunvil board.

"For many of the Sunvil team, John will be remembered as a gentle grandfather figure with a fondness for Tunnocks caramel biscuits and a passion for languages; he was fluent in five and could hold a conversation in many more," added the company.

MD Chris Wright said: "John will be much missed by staff, both past and present, and by all those with whom he came into contact."

Josephides added: "I’ve lost not only a friend of 50 years’ standing, but also a long-term business partner, a much-respected influencer and a important sounding board as we developed the business together through good times and bad, including the invasion of Cyprus in 1974."