UK tourists

[dodo]

Read this article earlier today so thought I'd share

http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2020-0 ... 238074.htm

Also read in the media that yesterday Cyprus officially said no test would be offered to uk tourists on arrival

[Kili01]

I thinkthat Cyprus would benefit if they make it easier for individual booking from the UK to Cyprus. i quite understand why the Govt here is unwilling to open the island up to mass tourism at present.
Out of curiosity I wondered why this article quoted here is on Xin Hwa a Chinese news web site?

Dee

[mike strand2]

Also here https://www.ekathimerini.com/255107/art ... t-possible

[mike strand2]

More testing proposed after 'orphan' CV-19 cases https://cyprus-mail.com/2020/07/25/coro ... han-cases/

[galexinda]

Just been reading about what is happening in Spain and the possibility of an official announcement tonight by the UK that people returning from Spain will have to self-isolate due to the increase in positive cases.

[PhotoLady]

The trouble is the increase in cases are in Catalonian areas but the announcement will more than likely capture Spain as a whole including the Balearics and the Canaries to make it simpler to maintain by the UK Government.
Best option now would be for the FCO to say no travel so people can get refunded otherwise they will not obey the self-isolating on return to UK.

[Paul]

If you see a UK tourist take a photo as there an endangered species in Paphos!!

[June]

Obviously

[Dominic]

If you see a UK tourist take a photo as there an endangered species in Paphos!!

Why do you find that so amusing?

[Varky]

Amazingly the UK government can apply a 14 day period of quarantine within hours of receiving the information about Covid-19 increases in some areas of Spain but it took them nearly two weeks to impose the use of face masks in shops. By this I am not saying that the precautions are not required, just the disproportionate timeline for action.

There are many calls for an immediate inquiry in to the management of the pandemic by the UK government. Maybe we should wait a while as I am sure the UK incompetent government has even more pending coronavirus 'cock-ups' to impose on the UK and one inquiry should be all inclusive.

[galexinda]

I subscribe to a number of Paphos FB groups and hope the recent announcement that 14 days self isolation now required for people returning from Spain to the UK will stop the anti-Cyprus and anti-Expat comments that many who have booked holidays to Cyprus on holiday have been making - just because Cyprus has required a Covid-19 test before arrival and is being very cautious overall.

[Kili01]

Like Varky, I hope ghat there will be a proper inquiry into the general incompetence with which Boris's Govt has handled the Covid 19: Pandemic in England. But, I also feel that the machinations of Cumming's will continue, and when/ if the number of cases in The UK starts to wane, talk of the impending Brexit will take the public's attention. Especially If it is a no deal,as many fear. I wonder what financial reserves will be required to deal with a whole set of new problems? If as is feared the infrastructure needed to implement the changes required isn't all ready in time.
Dee

[Firefly]

Mouse

No probably not, sadly this virus has hit many people in the pocket. Those in the UK who can afford a holiday, seem to be holidaying in various parts of Britain.

Jackie

[Firefly]

R.W.

Me too.

Jackie

[PhotoLady]

Whilst everyone with a business will want tourists to come I can understand their reluctance. If you have just had 2 or 3 months unpaid leave, maxed out your credit cards and wondering how to pay rent this month will you honestly be thinking about going abroard for a holiday.

You should pay a visit to some of the travel forums and take a look at the amount of money people posting have got tied up in cancelled holidays and still awaiting refunds.

Five figures really isn't an uncommon amount. People book holidays so far ahead and there was no preparation for this. A lady yesterday was returning from one holiday and then had two more to go to in the following 2 months.

Weddings overseas are still a big thing and the whole family can come and enjoy the experience together then wind down with the holiday afterwards.

How much do you think a family holiday to Florida costs? Then the money they spend when they get there.

For some, a holiday is just getting away for a week or two, for others it's the reason that keeps them going and so many others see them as the ultimate luxury.

We had a week in mainland Spain in early March. We booked about 8wks before travelling as we were waiting for a refund of the failed Thomas Cook holiday following the collapse in September 2019.
A last minute break was what we were planning and intended hanging on to the last minute to book but while browsing and keeping an eye on the prices, a pattern was forming so I sussed out which dates to look at.
A package holiday of a week on full board including flights from Manchester, hold bags and transfers at either end came to just over £500 for us both. A good hotel that people return to time after time, 3 entertainment venues within the hotel complex and another next door. Drinks are reasonably priced within the hotel and its bars so people spend their money.

Tourism is huge and has prices for all budgets, as long as you know when and where to look. I watched our holiday price go up to over £900 during the course of the next few weeks. It settled later at over £700 and eventually sold out.

We booked about 6wks ago for the Canary Islands which is out of the window at the moment. If you look currently at availability for holidays you can travel to from UK, it's soul destroying and yesterday one holiday we looked at to Rhodes as one we could switch to in order to get away earlier to guarantee weather and beat the next closure, crept up by an additional £300 within an hour.

Greece and Turkey, a handful of places in Malta, some parts of Italy with the odd areas of Portugal and Bulgaria and Croatia. Many of these are being watched to be next on the list of self-isolation upon return to UK or out of bounds by the FCO.

We've decided not to pay our final balance of our existing Canary Island 12 day break, neither are we going to book Rhodes. The deposit of £120 will be held in our holiday credit account where our current operator will place it, ready for us to rebook as soon as we're ready. Instead, we're going to pack our suitcase and will book at the very last minute, book a taxi or take the train to the airport, depends on flight times and away we go.

We could just pay the balance and hope by the time our original dates come around, everything will be okay again. But tour operators are planning to repatriate those already in resort and already hotels in a number of destinations have given closure dates. We don't want to end up in a place with no people or atmosphere so this next booking is a military campaign.

If Cyprus opens up to tourism soon, you could very well be inundated if Spain and the islands are still off the cards.

We have no plans to return to Cyprus yet though. That one can wait a while longer...

[Kili01]

Well the UK becomes a Cat B country from 1Aug, so individual tourists from UK can visit Cyprus again, provided they follow the essential travel procedures and have the Covid PCR swab test with a negative result within 72hrs of departure And have a written certificate. Also download the Cyprus Flight Pass, fill it in on line and send it off 24hrs before departure.
Thus illustrates that Cyprus authorities are very health conscious and trying hard to avoid any lock down here on an island which has very low rates of the virus.
They will be welcomed when the get here and hopefully will enjoy a virus free holiday here!
Nearly everywhere is open and there is plenty of space for social distancing as resorts are uncrowded this year and the weather is hot and sunny!
Dee

[Firefly]

Dee

The list of essential documentation one has to have to enter Cyprus, will be putting some people off, as they are able to holiday elsewhere without all the red tape.

Say for a family of two adults and two children, the sheer cost of it all, would be prohibitive I would have thought, not to mention where to obtain the tests, certificates and passes all completed within the time frame required, it won't happen in my view.

Jackie

[Jimgym]

You are right Jackie, the hassle of it all coupled with the huge extra expense for a family will no doubt be a deciding factor for many.

[Firefly]

TD

£116 for two, and it does say that although they try to have the results to you before travel, it's not guaranteed. If inconclusive, they will post another test kit to you, a bit late by then.

Mum, Dad and two children £232, and not sure about the timing of the results, too risky.

Jackie

[Firefly]

TD

Thank you for the further info, it would be interesting to see if Neil uses this company, and if he is successful.

I'm not due to fly until 1st September, by which time, the rules for entry may have changed, but I will keep the information you posted in mind if not.

Jackie