Protocol for new "regime" as tourism eyes restart

[Paphos Life]

With Cyprus hoping to take the first tentative steps to reopen its tourism in the third phase of the lockdown exit strategy from June 9 to 13, authorities are working on a special protocol to govern the sector, Demetra Landou reports in Phileleftheros.Hotels and airports are set to open between June 9 and July 13, provided everything goes to plan....

Read the article and chat about it below...

[WHL]

Surely using thermal cameras before people are allowed to board planes is a better way to go, rather then when they land. And ban buffets rather then people wearing gloves/masks, if seen people return to a buffet with their dirty plate, a big no no, and ive seen people put something on that plate, change their minds and replace it back again as for swimming pools, many people p in them, no thanks

[Yioula]

The islands main source of income is tourism so it’s main aim would be to get it up and running as soon as possible, it will be interesting to see how these new suggestions work in practice...............

[emgee]

A Singaporean report today says that Cyprus could be virus free by the end of May.

Alan

[WHL]

A Singaporean report today says that Cyprus could be virus free by the end of May.

Alan

Great news, but it wouldn't take much to change that re tourists

[Mike J]

Is tourism Cyprus's main source of income ? Tourism accounts for about 20% of GDP and is forms part of the Services sector which is 87% of GDP and I believe the lions share of that 87% is financial services. There is a very large FX Exchange business here these days and plenty of money swills through the island hence the U.S. Treasury's regular visits to Cyprus .
Certainly when I arrived in 2009 the government of the day was clear that tourism was no longer considered of importance to the Island and that construction, mainly then of housing was the way forward. That rather ended in tears a few years later of course.
Clearly tourism is important especially with a slow down in the financial sector due to the troubles in Russia but with hotels, restaurants and bars now having to now live with reduced considerably reduced numbers allowed on their premises for at least a few years. This could be a good time to revisit the type of tourism Cyprus would like to attract in the future and finally develop a plan for a steady flow of tourism year round rather than the pile it high sell it cheap 3-4 month summer plan we seem to have now. I would suggest the £299 one week in July and August all inclusive inc flight packages advertised in the UK Sunday travel sections are a thing of the past now anyway .

[Kili01]

It seems very sensible for hotels to ‘break the mould’ as regards having buffets in hotels. surely it is unsuitable for the current state where people are told to wear masks. It might be better for hotels to display what they can provide as a menu on an easel or fixed to the wall and allow guests to give their order from that.It may be difficult to police how many people use hotel lifts at a time or indeed to expect tourists to wear masks while on holiday, especially when the weather is very hot.

Dee

[trevnhil]

It is such a unknown territory that we are all in... The statement " Hotels and airports are set to open between June 9 and July 13, provided everything goes to plan " does little to help those who have a Holiday booked here...
My family from the UK are booked to fly out here in mid June and stay at a hotel in Coral Bay...
They just do not know what they can do.... Will the holiday still be available or not. In the UK at the moment the holiday is still going ahead because no one has said 'we are cancelling your holiday'
They cannot apply for any refunds... Yet..
They cannot change their time off from work, as the holiday is not cancelled.. Yet

Strange and difficult times for everyone in the Holiday industry, for both providers and participants

[Uncle D]

A friend of a friend came back to Cyprus last week as he is a resident so was re repatriated, he and wife were not checked for the virus at Manchester and flew here with mask and gloves on for the full duration around 7 hours in total, the flight crew also wore protective clothing. They were taken to a testing facility at Larnaca then onto a hotel for 2 days to wait for the results.
Until countries like the UK become like Cyprus with acceptable levels of virus and have some kind of an instant test for people pre flight, I cant see how tourism is going to work.

[kansas]

We've several friends who have cancelled their trip to Cyprus this year and will not re-book until next year. Instead, they are taking the time to explore the UK. A stay at home vacation.

[mike strand2]

Just something that many people do not realise, is that wearing gloves does not protect you if you keep them on all the time. The gloves can harbour as many virus as bare hands. If you touch your face with gloves that have been on the whole flight, you stand as much chance of infection as not wearing. Use high alcohol content hand wash instead.

[WHL]

My friends and family who were booked for cyprus have all informed me, that they will not be coming here, or holidaying any where else for this year.

[The Aquila]

Also, isnt one of the reasons why the UK isn’t testing is because the test is only valid for the time it is carried out? If someone caught CV on the flight then it doesn’t show because of the estimate 2 / 3 incubation period, hence the 14 days isolation.

This is would then make testing at the airport an almost pointless exercise?

Of course, it will pick up people that have the virus at the time of testing but won’t tell who the person has been in contact with which is why the track and trace app system could be more beneficial?

[trevnhil]

We've several friends who have cancelled their trip to Cyprus this year and will not re-book until next year. Instead, they are taking the time to explore the UK. A stay at home vacation.

If your friends have done the cancelling, and not the travel firm have they lost their money ??

[jeba]

Just something that many people do not realise, is that wearing gloves does not protect you if you keep them on all the time. The gloves can harbour as many virus as bare hands. If you touch your face with gloves that have been on the whole flight, you stand as much chance of infection as not wearing. Use high alcohol content hand wash instead.

The risk will be even higher as compared to simply washing/disinfecting your hands. You´ll simply have 2 more potentially contaminetd items. The WHO doesn´t recommend wearing gloves unless in special situations like e. g. in hospitals.

[J B]

A friend of a friend came back to Cyprus last week as he is a resident so was re repatriated, he and wife were not checked for the virus at Manchester and flew here with mask and gloves on for the full duration around 7 hours in total, the flight crew also wore protective clothing. They were taken to a testing facility at Larnaca then onto a hotel for 2 days to wait for the results.

I had this message on 28/4/2020 from a guy who lives on our complex .....

<<we got repatriation flight yesterday from Manchester now in 14 days quarantine in hotel

.... just hoping the covid test comes back negative after a flight with 117 Cypriot students not social distancing>>

[Firefly]

One factor which no-body seems to have thought about, is that many Brits have lost a major part of their income since the beginning of lockdown, and are now struggling to meet their debts.

Once lockdown is lifted, I don't think that the rush for foreign holidays will be at the top of the list of their priorities. You might find that the tourist trade still might take a hit in 2020.

Thankfully I'm not one, and as soon as it's safe to travel, I'll be on my way to sunny Cyprus asap.

Jackie

[kansas]

Trev, it was just the flights as they will be staying with family, and they now have managed to transfer the booking until next year. They did so pretty early on with just a nominal transfer fee.

[trevnhil]

Ah... So they transferred the booking, not as was mentioned. " and will not re-book until next year. "

[kansas]

Trev, at first it was cancelled and they intended to re-book next year, but as mentioned "they have NOW transferred the booking" after lengthy and productive chats with the airline pretty early on, and incurred only a nominal transfer fee. Simples......