Panagiotis Constantinou, President of the All-Cyprus Association of Hoteliers, described as a "positive step" the action of the travel giant TUI, Europe's largest travel agent, to stop from August 31 the day trips it organized from the free to the occupied areas of Cyprus (PASYXE) Famagusta.
In his statements to KYPE, Mr. Konstantinou stated that this specific action "is in honor of TUI, which was essentially promoting competition with the tours it carried out in the occupied territories. We consider that the company's move to stop day trips from the free to the occupied areas of Cyprus is a positive step, to prevent the leakage of visitors to the occupied areas".
Regarding the influx of tourists to the occupied territories, he noted "we have been discussing this for many years and the specific action of TUI is a positive measure to prevent the leakage of visitors to the occupied areas of Cyprus". "Larnaka and the province of Famagusta are the two regions from which tourists go to the occupied territories," he said.
He also expressed the assessment that "the specific action of TUI is perhaps a way of not promoting to visitors the issue of recognizing the pseudo-state".
Reactions to the excursions continue in the occupied territories
Reactions continue in the occupied territories for the decision of the TUI tourist group to stop one-day trips from the free areas to the occupied territories at the end of August.
"The Turkish people will never allow policies of economic siege and intimidation. It is not possible to reach a compromise with the minds of the government administration, which says at every opportunity that it wants a solution in Cyprus", said the "prime minister", Unal Ustel, adding that with the action of the government side - as he said - the aim is to limit the number of tourists arriving at Larnaca airport and transferring to the occupied territories. First, he continued, the I/C side targeted the construction sector and those who invested in real estate in the occupied territories and now tourism, "which is an important source of income for the Turkish Cypriot people."
The restrictions create a complicated situation in international law on freedom of movement, travel "and the sovereign rights of states".
He argued that such practices increase the tension between "the two peoples, lead to discrimination and violate rights that must be protected by international law, such as freedom of movement" and that the EU side instead of contributing to the solution of the Cyprus problem with these obstacles, "demonstrates an attitude away from the solution. I strongly condemn this practice, which in itself is a manifestation of hostile thinking that is incompatible with human rights and freedoms."
He also claimed that the Turkish side has been implementing a policy of intimidation against the Turks since 1963 and called on the Turkish leadership to reason because it is harming "good neighborly relations" and "the possibility of cooperation between the two peoples".
For his part, the "president of the parliament", Zorlou Torre, said that the Greeks see Cyprus as a Greek island, the Greek fanaticism does not stop and that is why they are making moves to collapse the economy of the pseudo-state, arguing that "the Greeks And they tried to do what they couldn't with weapons, applying economic, political and social exclusion, but they didn't succeed."
He claimed that the T/Cs are trying to implement something similar to the Akritas Plan with different methods, saying that while President Christodoulidis says on the one hand he wants negotiations, on the other hand he is trying to intervene in his pseudo-states and sees the T/Cs as " contemptible and minority".
Mr. Töre called on the EU and the UN to look at the attitude of the EU side.
The approach of RTK "MP", Sami Ozuslu, was different, saying that the separation policy followed by Tatar isolates the Turks even more. The policy followed by the Turkish leader further isolated the Turkish Cypriots on the international stage and turned the northern part of the island into a "backyard". This policy has serious negative effects, especially in the tourism sector, said Mr. Ozouslou.
"The more Tatar talks about two separate states, the more Turkish Cypriots become isolated and disconnected from the world." As long as he talks about a divisive policy, instead of sitting at the negotiating table, he gives the opportunity to the E/K and President Christodoulidis to play the role of the "apostle of peace" and laid the foundations for Mr. Christodoulidis' decision regarding the tourists coming from the "south", argued Mr. Ozouslou.
For his part, Orhan Tolun, "chairman" of the "Turkish Travel Agents Association (KITSAB)", speaking on the Ada TV channel, said that ending the daily flow of tourists to the occupied territories would cause problems for traders and damage the economy, arguing that the a/c side "with such threats" has been trying to block the flow of tourists to the "north" for years.
This is an "embargo" and a political move by the Turkish side to harm the pseudo-state and tourism. “There are an average of 18-20 tours a day in the north. More than half of the tours are from the south. The biggest tour business is provided by people from the south.'
In the meantime, Dialog is making headlines today with statements by shopkeepers in the Arasta district, in occupied Nicosia within the walls, who said that the implementation of TUI's decision will force them to "close our shops". They argued that this decision is against the rules of EEE and will damage the relations between the two communities on the island. They called on the "government" to take initiatives towards the EU and the UN.
On the website of Bougioun Cyprus, the message in the e-mail that TUI allegedly sent to its partners in the occupied territories and which was posted in the MKD by the "MP" of the RTK, Sami Ozoulou, is displayed. The text refers to an important announcement regarding TUI tours to the "occupied northern side of Cyprus".
It is added that TUI has come to an agreement with the Government of Cyprus to stop promoting and selling tours to the occupied northern side of Cyprus. And this concerns all languages and all excursions "for which we currently cross the border to the north". It is announced that all tours will be held until August 31, 2024, including this date, as they need some time to close long-term businesses.
In today's main issue, Jeni Bakis argues that as retaliation for the ban on one-day trips to the occupied territories, the possibility of tourist accommodation and hotels in Varosi, whose legal owners have been compensated through the "real estate committee", is being studied, to be given for renovation and tourist exploitation. He writes about a businessman who is said to be interested in developing these properties.