TOURISM HIT BY ATTACK FEARS
BOOKINGS for holidays to North Cyprus slumped by up to 50 per cent this week, as fearful travellers backed off over fears of an imminent escalation of the Syrian conflict.
The growing war of words between the US and Russia in the wake of a suspected gas attack by Syrian forces and concrete preparations for threatened retaliatory air strikes, have conjured up for the TRNC tourism industry the spectre of a crisis nearly 30 years ago.
UK military bases in South Cyprus are seen as key to any assault on Syria — just 60 miles from the Karpaz peninsula at its closest — and Sovereign Base Areas (SBA) officials were reported to have sent a “preparatory” request to South Cyprus authorities to “reserve” airspace around the Akrotiri RAF station.
A US naval battle group is also in place in the eastern Mediterranean.
The escalation of tensions prompted Eurocontrol, the Brussels-based European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation, to warn pilots flying in the eastern Mediterranean of “the possible launch of air strikes into Syria with air-to-ground and/or cruise missiles”.
Eurocontrol also said the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) had issued a “Rapid Alert Notification” for airspace south of eastern Turkey.
Muhammet Yaşarata, president of the Cyprus Turkish Chamber of Commerce (UK) and owner of tour operator Cyprus Paradise, told Cyprus Today: “The real threat of conflict . . . in the eastern Mediterranean has this week started to have a negative impact on our bookings.
“Especially after the threats . . . this week, the number of average daily reservations has been slashed by 50 per cent from the UK alone. It’s a sign that tourists have
‘I WANT my time with you.’ That was the message unveiled on Tuesday by Turkish Cypriot artist Tracey Emin in her latest work — a 20-metre sign, in huge pink lettering, suspended for the rest of the year from the ceiling beside the clock at London’s St Pancras International station.
The 54-year-old said the reference was primarily to lovers’ reunions at train stations — but also reflected her sadness over Brexit. ‘Essentially, it is a great subliminal message sent out to the rest of Europe . . . I want my time with Europe.’
felt threatened over coming to holiday here, in a region surrounded by warships, warplanes and others.
“We are concerned that we are now on the verge of a crisis in terms of tourism, similar to the one we experienced in the Gulf War in 1990.”
Cyprus Turkish Travel Agents’ Union (Kıtsab) president Erkan Kilim said his members were “very concerned”.
“Which tourist will opt to head to a destination that is near a conflict zone? We are receiving feedback from tour operators that although there haven’t been any cancellations, the number of reservations has slowed. Potential tourists are asking questions like, ‘Can you see warplanes?’ and ‘Can you see warships?’.
“The damage is currently being done by the war of words between the US and Russia, and the build-up of foreign military might around Cyprus. God forbid if any conflict errupts — that will end tourism for the entire island and not just the North. We have been here before.”
Mehmet Dolmacı, former Cyprus Turkish Hoteliers’ Union (Kıtob) president and owner of the Manolya hotel in Lapta, said: “Our bookings from Russia completely stopped this week, and overall bookings decreased by 25 per cent when compared to this time last year.
“The problem is the international press is constantly showing maps of the eastern Mediterranean with Cyprus right in the middle, surrounded by images of missiles, warships, planes and submarines. This is extremely damaging.”
Cem Kapısız, head of the TRNC’s Air Traffic Control Workers’ Union, said the immediate effect of aviation warnings had been “dozens” of airlines requesting to pass over the western side of the island this week, rather than in airspace between Cyprus and Syria. No flights to or from Ercan airport had been affected, he said.