"By mid-November at the latest, clarify your policy for 2021 regarding the categorization of different countries, otherwise it will be too late", is the message that hoteliers receive from our tourism partners. Travel Organizers and airlines will no longer tolerate the open-close, up-and-down of the various countries in terms of their connectivity with Cyprus.
"These ups and downs, as they claim, hinder us in our planning and it is very difficult for us to watch you. That is why, they emphasize, we should know by mid-November at the latest what your plans are for 2021 ".
This issue was discussed during the recent presence of the Deputy Minister of Tourism, at the meeting of PASYXE Famagusta. According to what was said at the meeting, the tour operators and the airlines strongly demand that the Cypriot Government clarify by mid-November its policy for 2021, regarding the categorization of the various countries and the criteria that will exist, without of course endanger public health.
Welcoming Savvas Perdios, the President of PASYXE Famagusta Doros Takkas, after thanking him for his presence and the support he provides to the Province of Famagusta, referred to the great importance and contribution of the Province of Famagusta to the tourism of Cyprus during the summer months. 50% of arrivals.
Mr. Takkas referred to the difficult year he is leaving behind in 2020, which hit, as he stressed, more than any other province, the Province of Famagusta, as its main markets such as Russia, Ukraine were left out, while Scandinavia was self-excluded. Doros Takkas stressed that in 2020 the Province of Famagusta received the biggest blow since only 35-40% of the hotels operated with very low occupancy. We did not get, he said, what we could against our competitors. We will not endure another year like 2020. 2021 is expected to be another difficult year as we will have to go without the vaccine. Therefore, he concluded, we must immediately make our plans and inform the markets about what we intend to do. The course of 2021 depends on our timely plans.
Mr. Perdios expressed his satisfaction for his presence here but at the same time expressed his bitterness and sadness for what the Province went through this year.
"I believed and still believe that we could have achieved more and achieved our goals, but unfortunately the opening and closing of the various markets has taken that goal away." Mr. Perdios agreed with the position that in 2021 we should go without the vaccine, so we should take such measures that allow us to have higher goals and better results.