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Cyprus
Tourism
on the
Decline
Tourism
in
Cyprus
is a
vital
force to
its
economy
and the
CTO are
under
pressure
to
recognise
that
their
main
economy
needs
serious
addressing
to stay
alive.
With a
sense of
urgency
now
prevailing,
CTO
Director
Phoebe
Katsouri
states
"it is
essential
that we
move
forward
in a
positive
direction
to meet
targets."
In
October
arrivals
fell by
2.8%
compared
to the
same
month
last
year,
with
275,103
arriving
compared
to
283,046
in
October
2006.
Competitors
are
making
huge
investments
in
tourist
infrastructure
compared
to
Cyprus.
During a
workshop
in
Nicosia,
Katsouri
addressed
key
members
of the
tourist
industry
communicating
a
revised
strategy
in
tourism
development
with a
scope of
implementations
until
2010.
Hoteliers
are
being
driven
out of
business
due to
the
industry's
decline,
with
plans to
convert
their
premises
into
apartment
blocks
for
long-term
rents or
sale.
With an
increase
in
availability
in this
type of
accommodation,
rents
and sale
prices
will be
highly
competitive
and
result
in less
holiday
accommodation
to
attract
tourists.
Chloe
Ryan, an
ex-patriate
in
Cyprus
for six
years
says; "I
first
rented
my
apartment
in 1994
when my
rent was
£375 per
month on
a
long-term
annual
contract.
After
two
years I
noticed
an
increase
in
available
accommodation
to rent
and
sourced
a
comparable
apartment
for
less.
When I
spoke to
my
Landlady,
she
insisted
I stayed
and
immediately
reduced
my rent
to £300.
She
informed
me that
to have
a
regular
amount
each
month
from a
reliable
tenant
offered
security
and
peace-of-mind."
Ryan's
case is
one of
many,
with
more and
more
properties
available
to rent,
long-term
rental
rates
are
being
slashed.
Zacharias
Ioannides
of the
Cyprus
Hotel
Association
claims
that in
dozens
of
smaller
hotels
and
hotel
apartments,
the
total of
beds has
reduced
from
98,000
to
93,000
due to a
change
in
status.
Tourism
is
declining
at a
rapid
rate in
Cyprus
due to a
greater
choice
in other
destinations,
a delay
in plans
for the
new
Marina
and golf
courses,
slow
renovation
in
hotels
and
cultural
centres,
hotel
closures,
no
rubbish
clearance
plans,
to name
a few. A
staggering
42% of
holiday
accommodation
owners
are
complaining
of low
occupancy
and
staff
cuts as
a result
and are
now
looking
to
invest
in
property
ownership
development.
The CTO
has
claimed
to
proceed
with
plans to
allow
conversion
of
holiday
accommodation
representing
20,000
beds to
apartment
blocks.
The plan
is to
allow
for
holiday
home
ownership
investment.
Hoteliers
will be
given
incentives
to
upgrade
and
refurbish
their
establishments
with a
sum of
13
million
euros
being
allocated.
Panos
Englezos,
CTO
Chairman
says "an
effort
from all
parties
concerned
is
imperative
to make
a
difference
on a
large
scale."
The
reality
is that
the CTO
has
always
made an
attempt
to
increase
tourism
through
corporate
planning
and
lengthy
discussion,
alas
pro-active
action
has been
slow, if
at all.
What
point is
there
having a
great
restaurant
with an
inexperienced
Chef? Or
for that
matter a
highly
skilled
team of
Directors
with no
workforce
or
mentality
to
implement
plans.
The best
domestic
products
will
remain
on the
supermarket
shelf if
they are
not
promoted
for
sale. We
are not
dealing
with
rocket
science,
create
your
strategy
and see
it
through
to the
bitter
end,
planning
for
interventions
and
resolution
contingency.
Cyprus
tourism
officials
are
evading
some of
the real
issues.
No
strategy
plans
are in
place to
clear
the
rubbish
that
litters
beaches
causing
danger
and
disgrace.
Major
refurbishment
programmes
are
taking
place
during
seasonal
highs
with the
Paphos
Harbour
looking
like a
building
site
preventing
tourists
from
strolling.
The
increasing
sight of
building
works,
dumped
washing
machines,
sofas,
domestic
refuse,
and even
broken-down
vehicles
is
simply
not
attractive
to
tourists
or
ex-pats
who feed
the
Cypriot
economical
growth.
Taxis
are in
abundance
in
Cyprus
but
costs
are
still
high
with
charges
from
Larnaca
airport
to
Paphos
often
being
higher
than a
last
minute
flight
booking
from the
UK.
Complaints
have
been
reported
from
visitors
who
describe
beaches
and
certain
areas as
an
eyesore
with
rubbish
dumps
destroying
attractive
scenery.
Most
visitors
now stay
in their
holiday
accommodation
with
little
interest
to
venture
out to
see the
Cyprus
image
portrayed
in their
glossy
holiday
brochure,
feeling
deceived.
With an
unmotivated
team of
staff
who now
service
the
tourist
industry
in
restaurants,
hospitality
has
reduced,
with
increasing
complaints
that
foreign
staff
are
unfamiliar
with
Cyprus
displaying
no
knowledge
of the
Island
or prime
tourist
attractions
of
ancient
ruins
and
monuments.
Lefkos
Phylactides,
head of
CTO
tourist
services
predicts
that
2007
would
end with
a 1%
increase
in
arrivals
from the
UK,
reaching
2.5
million
with
tourism
generating
a
revenue
base of
CYP1
billion,
representing
a 7%
increase
over
last
year.
The new
revised
plan
aims for
1.4m
tourists
from the
UK in
2010,
assuming
the
plans
will be
implemented
or will
stay at
infantile
at
discussion
point. A
suggestion
of the
new plan
is to
elect a
Ministerial
Committee
who will
meet
every
six
months
to
assess
progress
and aim
to cut
all the
red tape
that
halts
Cyprus
from
development
and
progression.
The
public
remain sceptical
and only
time
will see
results.
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