Paphos Life

Shopkeepers in coastal Famagusta district are in dire financial state since the targeted number of tourist arrivals following the covid-19 pandemic now seems to be unachievable.

The initial target was for 30% tourist arrivals, compared to last year’s, according to small shopkeepers association Povek’s spokesman Kyriakos Ambizas.

“In fact, only a very small number of stores have re-opened in Ayia Napa and Protaras these days,” he told Philenews.

“And from available data not many more stores are expected to re-open for the rest of the remaining tourist season or the rest of the year,” he added.

The POVEK spokesman also said that as regards Ayia Napa and Protaras, the lack of tourists and the low turnover in clothing and souvenir shops, is dramatically exacerbated by the fact that rents are very high.

“Exorbitant in most cases in most of the shops and premises,” he added.

Ambizas also said that unfortunately the incentive given to owners of commercial premises to make rent reductions and benefit from tax deductions by the Government in the past few months, seems to not have worked.

“The messages POVEK gets are that in most cases the owners of the premises demand the full annual rents from the shopkeepers regardless of the situation, whether they open or not,” he said.

It is obvious that a significant number of tourist shops in Ayia Napa and Protaras will not only not be able to renew their stock of goods but will also be forced to close down, he added.

Not only they can’t pay rent but but also electricity, water and other bills given the current state of play, he also said.

The POVEK spokesman also warned that should there be a second wave of the corona virus pandemic during the fall then the situation will be more than dire.

The situation in the city and province of Larnaca is not any better than that of Famagusta despite there being a larger mass of local population, he said.

As he said this could be due to various reasons – psychological included – since a most of the locals appear very restrained in their spending now compared to the period prior to the pandemic outbreak.

https://in-cyprus.philenews.com/ayia-na ... situation/

May be its time for Cyprus to act as an independent sovereign state and take control of the situation and make its own judgements to manage the current situation. Yes, things are dire for everyone but solutions unique to Cyprus, for the financial benefit of Cyprus could be worked out. The EU is too busy looking after the top echelon's of the EU. Straggling Cyprus with huge debt, the Greece solution, will make recovery that much more difficult.

Portugal looks like its getting it right with airbridges from the UK to their self-contained-self-catering resorts but to the disapproval of the EU Politbureau.

clive of payia wrote: ↑Fri Jul 24, 2020 1:09 pm May be its time for Cyprus to act as an independent sovereign state and take control of the situation and make its own judgements

You are describing the perfect way to ensure a total catastrophe throughout the whole island, north and south. Who the heck do you think could even start to think logically. It would be such a total catastrophe that the only way out would be to depend on our saviour, Greece!

clive of payia wrote: ↑Fri Jul 24, 2020 1:09 pm May be its time for Cyprus to act as an independent sovereign state and take control of the situation and make its own judgements to manage the current situation. Yes, things are dire for everyone but solutions unique to Cyprus, for the financial benefit of Cyprus could be worked out. The EU is too busy looking after the top echelon's of the EU. Straggling Cyprus with huge debt, the Greece solution, will make recovery that much more difficult.

Portugal looks like its getting it right with airbridges from the UK to their self-contained-self-catering resorts but to the disapproval of the EU Politbureau.

Always ready to have a dig at the EU, move on folks nothing to see here,

WHL

If it's true, then it's not a 'dig' in my view, just stating facts.

Why move on ?

Firefly wrote: ↑Fri Jul 24, 2020 2:52 pm WHL

If it's true, then it's not a 'dig' in my view, just stating facts.

Why move on ?

You've got your Brexit for crying out loud, what more do you lot want?

I don't think that Clives proposed solution would work.I think that Cyprus Govt is managing the situation well. It must fe very difficult for them, balancing the health risks from potential increased number of Covid cases which may well result from allowing large numbers of tourists from UK and /or Russia to come here without proper testing and suficient quarantine facilities and hospital beds. If it were mus managed people would be quic ktblamevthe Govt,plus thecisland could findvitself in the 2nd lock down,

Sorry finger trouble!

The last sentence should read., If it were mis managed, people would be quick to blame the Govt, plus the island could find itself in the 2nd lock down.

Dee

Just usual Clive, comes in, throws a hand grenade and then disappears till the smoke clears.

Jim

Jim B wrote: ↑Sat Jul 25, 2020 8:56 am Just usual Clive, comes in, throws a hand grenade and then disappears till the smoke clears.

Jim

I think the word your looking for is, Wind up Merchants.

In which case Clive's contribution seems more of a damp squib!

But the original post was about the combined effect that the virus which led to the lock down, which led us to the current lack of a tourist season, is having on the economy of the island. All the shops and tourist dependent industries like hotels and restaurants, are nearly empty in many places. I've just come back from a 3 day short break in the mountains. Places like Platres, Omodos and Troodos Square were nearly deserted. Even Kakopetria whuch is usually busy with tourists was also deserted.And everywhere was ready for their arrival!

It's a worrying time for many people there with hotels and tavernas.

Dee