The hotels in the free province of Famagusta are ready to open, said today Christos Angelidis, Vice President of the Famagusta Chamber of Commerce and Industry (EVEA) and President of the Pancyprian Association of Hotel Managers (PASYDIXE). first line of the tourism industry.
Mr. Angelidis spoke in Ayia Napa after a meeting held by the EVEA, in the presence of the Vice President of the CCCI, during which issues arising regarding tourism and the coronavirus pandemic were discussed.
He added that the aim of today's meeting is through EBE Famagusta, to convey to the CCCI the problems faced in the tourism sector by the free province of Famagusta, due to the coronavirus pandemic. "Our goal is to raise all serious and urgent issues, so that we can crystallize a clear picture and with a strategy, through the CCCI, to transfer to all the Houses and Ministries of the state in order to intervene to help our province, the "which has been hit hardest by the pandemic," he said.
Answering a relevant question, Mr. Angelidis said that "the primary request of EVEA is the immediate vaccination of the people who will be on the front line, when and if the tourism companies open. This must be done so that businesses and tourist Cyprus are not endangered. " He said that "the vaccination of these people is for the protection of themselves and their families and the economy."
In case, he continued, "that workers in the front line of the tourism industry get coronavirus and need to close hotels and other businesses, it will be a huge blow for the whole of tourist Cyprus". That is why we must protect the image and the economy of our country, he said and clarified that "we do not want to deprive other groups of the population of vaccination, but this is primary for our economic recovery."
In another question, Mr Angelidis described as "excessive the πρόσ 5 fines recently announced by the United Kingdom that would be imposed on Britons seeking to travel abroad for no serious reason, such as work or study until 17 May. However, each country tries to protect its own population in its own measures ".
What is very important, he continued, "is for us to be ready, organized, to start advertising campaigns, to cooperate as much as possible with the airlines and travel agents and to hope for something good. "What matters at the moment is our faithful observance of the rules of health, hygiene and safety because what I, by the way, will sell to world tourism is our good epidemiological image, since without it everything will be impossible."
He added that "we urge and ask all our fellow citizens and compatriots to be careful and take seriously the issue of the epidemiological image of our country, to protect both themselves and the economy of Cyprus."
Asked about domestic tourism and whether Cypriots will be allowed to vacation in hotels, Mr. Angelidis said that "this is what we are urgently asking for here and now" and asked "why hotels can not be opened even with a rapid test, so that our compatriots can freely rest and enjoy their holidays. "Hotels respect the rules of health, hygiene and safety."
Asked about the reopening of hotels in the free province of Famagusta, he replied that "from the meetings that take place from time to time, it seems that all the hotels are ready to operate at least from a practical and emotional point of view. The formal and legal part remains, that is, when the trips will be allowed ".
We hope, he continued, "that from May onwards things will recover, people inside and outside Cyprus will be vaccinated to free international travel and the whole planet to live better days, including Cyprus."
Regarding the categorization of countries, Christos Angelidis said that the announcements of the competent Ministries on this issue "are related to the decisions of the competent European Commission. But what is important for us is that, unlike last year, in any category that the different countries will fall into, people will be able to visit Cyprus, having the vaccine or having a negative coronavirus test ". Finally, he said that "this year's categorization will not affect us much and this is something we are very pleased with."