Opening up to new tourist markets will be attempted in 2020 by the tourist operators and hoteliers of the free province of Famagusta, on the one hand to attract more visitors and on the other hand to cover any losses from other markets that are considered "saturated", such as the English market. .
In fact, in view of the Brexit that is expected at the beginning of the new year, no one can say with certainty how the tourist traffic from the United Kingdom will start next summer.
As the president of PASYXE Famagusta, Doros Takkas, stated in the newspaper "POLITIS", lately a very serious effort is being made by the hoteliers and the agents of the province, in order to develop new tourist markets. "In view of the new year, we will aim to attract more visitors from countries such as Poland, Israel, France, Italy, Central Europe and the Scandinavian countries, which we believe have great potential. In addition, however, from these countries, from which, as the Famagusta Free Zone, we already attract small numbers of tourists each year, we try to secure cooperation with countries outside Europe, such as the Arab Gulf countries, for which there seems to be suitable territory. in view of 2020 ", noted D. Takkas.
At the same time, the president of the Famagusta hoteliers stated that efforts have been made to attract tourists from the markets of the former Eastern bloc, such as Bulgaria and Romania, countries which in Cyprus are known in recent years only because of the workforce employed in our island. "Apart from the workforce that these countries are sending to Cyprus, we now see prospects for attracting organized groups of tourists and this is what we will pursue in the new year," he noted.
Hotels open from the end of March
In addition to the efforts that will be made in the new year to "detach" Ayia Napa and Protaras from the traditional markets, such as the Russian, English and Scandinavian, the hoteliers will try to achieve a small, at least, extension of the tourist period.
As Doros Takkas explained to "POLITI", although this year's winter tourist season does not show any significant improvement compared to previous years and reservations at the remaining open hotels in the area are limited, however the new year will be attempted like almost all large hotel units in the two tourist resorts to open around the end of March (other years they opened in April or May). And this, as he mentioned, in an effort to help April, with the hope that there will be a satisfactory movement from the spring and to achieve a small extension of the tourist season.
Satisfaction for TUI
In another development, satisfaction prevails among the tourist operators of the province of Famagusta after the announcement of TUI Russia, that in 2020 it will increase its programs to Cyprus, which means an increase in the tourist flow by 150 thousand from Russia. The development is pleasing to the hoteliers of the area, as in recent years free Famagusta has been absorbing the lion's share of the Russian tourist pie of Cyprus, while hoping to cover with this increase losses that may arise from other markets (see United Kingdom due to Brexit).
Source: CITIZEN