As Mr. Karousos stated in KYPE, "it seems that this year we will have the best year in terms of tourist arrivals in Cyprus. It is estimated that in the tourist season to visit our island more than three million tourists and already in Ayia Napa several hotels have opened since mid-March and are accepting the first arrivals.
However, he continued "there are very serious problems which if not solved with the cooperation of all, the tourists who will visit Cyprus this year will not return. The biggest problem that exists is that of the opening hours of the stores, with the result that the shopkeepers "pay" the differences between the Government and the Parliament on this issue ".
It is inconceivable, said Mr. Karousos, that the shops should be closed on Sundays and public holidays, especially in the tourist areas, because the executive and the legislature do not "find" them. "There is a big question mark how tourists will deal with the issue of store hours when they start arriving en masse in Cyprus and especially in tourist areas such as Ayia Napa and Protaras."
The Mayor of Ayia Napa described as 'funny' in the year 2016 that the shops are closed on Sundays and holidays in the tourist areas, especially when this year we are expected to have record arrivals for Cyprus. "How are we going to convince all these tourists to visit our island again when the shops are closed on the days when these people want to do their shopping?" He wondered.
He added that "the geopolitical developments that have taken place and continue to take place in the Eastern Mediterranean region, have forced thousands of tourists from various European and other countries to visit Cyprus since destinations such as Egypt and Turkey have been excluded from the tourist map. "This is an opportunity for Cyprus to persuade millions of tourists to visit us again," he said, noting, however, that "this will be impossible if shopkeepers do not know when they will be able to open their premises."
He added that "the uncertainty about the opening hours of the stores will create big problems in tourism and the government and the Parliament will have to sit at the table together and solve this issue. "From the middle of March, when the first tourists started arriving, the shops remained closed on Sundays and public holidays, as a result of which those people who are accustomed to shopping in their countries on Sundays could not be served."
That is why Mr. Karousos continued "we must find a solution before the 22nd of April when the Parliament will be dissolved in view of the parliamentary elections, so that we do not become an international resilience in tourism. At least to find a solution for the opening hours of the shops in the tourist areas because several times in this place we forget where we make money from ", he concluded.
Source: KYPE