First tourists due
South Cyprus hopes to regain lost tourists from July, when it will re-admit British and Russian visitors. Tourism chiefs hope that, with hotels set to reopen on June 1, about 30 per cent of last year’s total of 3.98 million visitors will arrive this year. The island will open on June 9 to travelers from countries including Germany, Greece, and Israel. Authorities have tightened health and safety procedures. Plans include covering the medical costs if a visitor falls ill with Covid-19 and setting up dedicated quarantine hotels. “We have taken a lot of measures… but at the same time, we do understand that people want to come here on holiday, so we haven’t converted Cyprus into a large hospital,” an official said.
SOUTH Cyprus is officially tourist-hunting following the announcement that airports and hotels will reopen for business on June 9 and June 1 respectively.
But nothing has been set in stone yet, Phileleftheros reported, despite tourism deputy minister Savvas Perdios’ assurances that there is a lot of interest, and tourism businesses are increasingly nervous.
South Cyprus’ major tourist markets are Russia, Britain and Sweden (together comprising more than 80 per cent of Famagusta district’s tourists). But what the future holds remains unclear as neither they nor Cyprus are ready to exchange visitors.
The focus has now shifted to central Europe and Israel, with pressure mounting for the deputy tourism ministry and Hermes airports to secure those routes with airlines so that tourists can flow in.
Signs are promising as there is good connectivity with Austria, Germany and Poland and the relevant airlines’ post-coronavirus era schedule is expected to clarify soon.
In addition, Switzerland is a market that, albeit small, brought in considerable currency with past connectivity numbering three Swiss cities via five different airlines. Norway has been similarly accessible with routes to five airports via five distinct air carriers.
As details of procedures that will be followed by visitors are still being drafted, a three-page document has been put together that tourists will need to fill in and sign, but authorities are mulling its simplification.
Phileleftheros reports that the form will need to be completed by all passengers, even those not required to present a negative Corona virus test result.
Questions to be posed to passengers through the document include where they travelled in the last 14 days.Visitors would also need to confirm that they have not presented Covid-19 symptoms in the last 72 hours and that they have not been in contact with a Corona virus patient in the last 14 days.
Most importantly, they will be called to sign a declaration that they are on the trip on their own responsibility, thus freeing airlines, businesses and the Sotuh’s administration from repercussions should they test positive to the virus during their stay.