Within the space of two years, Cyprus has gone from being one of Europe's crisis countries to now having many causes for optimism, with its banks back in international favour and the island's tourism market showing a marked uptick.

The death of business travel has oft been predicted, but with airlines and hotel chains alike investing in expanding their capacity and improving their offerings, it seems as if the corporate travel sector is very much alive and kicking.

For biopharmaceutical companies entering Europe, the Belgian region of Wallonia is proving particularly popular. One reason for this is the service provided by the region’s export and investment agency, AWEX, finds Wendy Atkins

The German state of Hessen is home to the city of Frankfurt and also many of the world's leading logistics companies. With an outstanding infrastructure and business-friendly attitude at the heart of Europe, the region is gaining a reputation for being a global logistics leader.

Scotland's already impressive tourist numbers will rise further still in 2014 as the country hosts the Commonwealth Games and the Ryder Cup. Its hotel industry is well prepared to cope with this influx of visitors.

Cyprus has turned a corner after its recent banking crisis, say observers, with investor confidence gradually returning to the finance sector. And the country’s emerging fund industry and foreign exchange trading are providing a potential draw for foreign investors. 

When it comes to development ambitions, Cyprus is thinking big with plans for a casino resort, a science and technology park, hotels, shopping centres and new office space, plus the redevelopment of terminals at Larnaca and Paphos airports. 

While neighbouring countries descend into turmoil, Cyprus is busy moving on from its downturn, finding alternative markets for its real-estate sector and incentivising investment. 

Cyprus has a global reputation for being a high-quality hub for the shipping industry. And its commitment to training its workforce in this sector and providing a stable and business-friendly tax regime mean that it is unlikely to lose its competitive edge any time soon.

Cyprus, already well known as a tourist destination, is now branching out in terms of the services it can offer travellers, from a casino and golf courses to medical tourism.