First in the preferences of Scandinavian tourists comes the free area of Famagusta and specifically Ayia Napa and Protaras, according to all the major Swedish travel agents, with whom they discussed issues for sending more tourists to the area, the Mayor of Ayia Napa and Antipro Paralimni who went to Sweden last week.
As the Mayor of Ayia Napa, Giannis Karousos, stated in KYPE, "the first priority for the Scandinavians for their holidays is Ayia Napa and Protaras. Also, the travel agents with whom we discussed various issues, mentioned that in the area of free Famagusta there is a lack of rooms. "Unfortunately, with the incentives set by the government, in Ayia Napa they are not entitled at all to build additional new rooms, while approximately the same applies to Protaras".
Asked about this, the Mayor of Ayia Napa stated ignorance because with the new motives of the government the most touristic areas of Cyprus are not entitled to build more rooms since as he explained "even if we had 15 thousand new beds they would be full during the summer. "There is a demand from the 3 largest travel agents in Sweden for extra beds in Ayia Napa and Protaras but unfortunately we can not provide them," he noted.
He also said that the Scandinavian tour operators discussed "various infrastructure issues such as the celebrity street, the sculpture park, the hiring of additional traffic wardens patrolling the busy streets of Ayia Napa at night and other issues related to both entertainment and tourist safety ".
However, he continued "a serious issue raised by tour operators is the coastal front of Ayia Napa which is not the best and apparently is not included in the state budget for 2014. We need about 400 thousand euros to implement the "We have been informed that neither the coastal front nor other projects requested by the state for our province were included in the budget for next year," he said, adding that "a specific project that is an immediate and top priority for us."
Mr. Karousos also said that in Stockholm the delegation also attended the Tourism Fair for the elderly, where during the presentation on Cyprus "we referred to Ayia Napa and Protaras and developed the points that will attract the tourist for summer as well as for his winter holidays ".
To another question, the Mayor of Ayia Napa answered that "during the winter in the free area of Famagusta will remain open about 17 hotel units. "At the same time, however, we are campaigning to attract Ayia Napa and Protaras for domestic tourism in order to increase the number of units that will remain open in the winter as well," he concluded.