The tourist market in the province of Famagusta is moving at low levels this year, Doros Takkas, President of PASYXE Famagusta, told KYPE, noting at the same time that efforts are being made to attract tourists from markets such as Britain, the Scandinavian countries and Central Europe. According to him, Easter will be an injection for the region with bookings of Cypriots for two and three days, waiting for the start of flights from abroad in May.
In statements to KYPE, Mr. Takkas said that "the big problem facing the region comes from the lack of Russian tourists and tourist traffic is limited to very low levels."
Today, he said, "there is only a small number of hotels operating in the free province of Famagusta that does not exceed 30-40% while the rest of the hotels are expected to open at the end of April, beginning of May."
However, he noted, "there are some hotels which due to the situation prevailing in the war in Ukraine and the reduction of tourists from Russia, will remain closed during this period."
Mr. Takkas also said that "given the fact that tourists from Russia, Ukraine and the Russian-speaking market in general, it is extremely difficult to visit Cyprus this year, the effort to find tourists is focused on other markets."
More specifically, he added, "we are focusing on countries with which there is a connection with Cyprus, so that we can reduce the" hole "that was created even to a small extent."
Answering a question, the President of PASYXE Famagusta said that "we are essentially focusing on the existing markets, ie the ones we had and still have in the region, first Britain, second the Scandinavian countries and then Central Europe." Certainly the focus of the search is on the countries from which the flights end up at Larnaca airport, he said.
To another question, Mr. Takkas answered that "in these markets we focus mostly on the Internet in order to attract as many tourists as possible from these" old "let's call them markets, whose response was low. "Among these countries is France, with which there is now great connectivity."
The President of PASYXE Famagusta was invited to comment on the fact that the Ministry of Transport in cooperation with the Ministry of Tourism managed to have great connectivity with Central European countries, while there are airlines that have increased their routes to Cyprus.
This is what Mr. Takkas said "is the right and only way to be able to cover the 'hole' that emerged from the Russian market, a large portion of which ended up for holidays in the free province of Famagusta." "The gap that is observed is large and efforts are being made to operate without this market and everything that can be done is being done," he added.
Asked about the occupancy of hotels on Holy Week, he replied that "Catholic Easter helped the situation a bit and we see an increase in mobility, however as the days go by the arrival of tourists from abroad decreases".
We expect, he said, "that with the Easter of the Orthodox Christians, there will be visits from Cypriots which will be limited to two and three days, however it will be an injection for the region, waiting for the flights from abroad to start in May to see more movement in the free province of Famagusta ".
Asked whether PASYXE Famagusta is satisfied with the tourist traffic in the area these days, Doros Takkas reiterated that "given the lack of Russian market in the area, what we see leaves hoteliers satisfied." "There are other markets and we hope to finally be able to increase the flow of tourists from those markets," he concluded.
Source: Economytoday