With closure, even in bankruptcy, small family businesses are being driven to Ayia Napa due to the dire financial situation in which they found themselves from the coronavirus pandemic, Ayia Napa Mayor Christos Zannettou told KYPE.
He added that "this year the tourist traffic was beyond everyone's forecasts and expectations, which was encouraging because it helped businesses survive and at the same time work a lot of people and keep jobs. However, in Ayia Napa, several businesses, especially in the inner region, ie small complexes of apartments, supermarkets and other similar stores, are based on the youth ".
But because "the British market, and especially the youth, was almost closed since last year and there was no traffic throughout Cyprus, these companies have not worked at all. In fact, many have remained closed, especially small family businesses whose income is based on 3-4 months of great mobility that exists from the youth ".
Mr. Zannettou noted that "it is unfortunate that several of these companies are in danger of closing permanently and even going bankrupt. The state and the government should look at this issue and support these companies, which operate on a seasonal basis both in Ayia Napa and throughout the free province of Famagusta, "he said, adding that" 90% of businesses and economic activities of the region, are based on the tourism industry ".
He is expected to continue "that if everything develops positively with the coronavirus pandemic, 2022 will be a good tourist season. "Any support to keep these families and support their businesses, will be the best gift, since these are our liaisons who will be on the verge of bankruptcy."
Answering a relevant question, the Mayor of Ayia Napa said that "the whole State and everyone from their own post must see all the problems faced by many of our compatriots, whether they have businesses or not, because they have been negatively affected by the pandemic. "As the Municipality of Ayia Napa, where we can and are within our responsibilities, we will be helping these families, but we all understand that financial support must be given by government plans and controls."
Regarding the projects that are expected to be implemented in the inner region of Ayia Napa, in order to give impetus to the operation of certain tourism businesses, Mr. Zannettou said that "within days the big project of the renovation of Tefkrou Anthia Street, which is in the core of Ayia Napa ". According to the project itself, it will be carried out in two phases and we hope that with the other projects underway, we will be able to support these small family businesses and stores.
He added that "in order for Ayia Napa to develop and for its inner region to be part of sustainability and to support small and medium-sized enterprises, we are relying on the publication of the local plan, an anachronistic local plan that has been in place since 2004." "Unfortunately without the local plan we can not do anything in a region which from 90% rate, today has been reduced to 60%," he concluded.