Bleak scenarios for tourism sector due to Ukrainian crisis

[Paphos Life]

The number of the upcoming season's expected tourists in Famagusta area could be halved following the sanctions imposed on Russia because of its invasion in Ukraine, Philenews reported on Tuesday. Russia and Ukraine, afterall, are Famagusta area's leading tourism markets and the sector's key players there are monitoring the situation trying to keep calm. ...

Read the article and chat about it below...

[memory man]

Russian Ambassador to Cyprus: no Russian tourists for you

Stanislav Osadchiy, Russia’s Ambassador to Cyprus, has said, in an interview with a local media outlet, that the Republic of Cyprus and other European countries who have imposed sanctions on his country over its invasion of Ukraine have ‘shot themselves in the foot.’

Osadchiy tells his interviewer that Russian tourist will not show up in Cyprus in the summer and that they will go to Turkey instead.

“If you ask me personally, (economic sanctions) do not worry us. Unfortunately, I think Europeans are shooting themselves in the foot. Where will they find natural gas, oil, wheat, how will Cyprus get Russian tourists? Russian tourists will not come. Where will these tourists go? They’ll go to Turkey, you want that? They’ll spend money there. Summer is coming. You have shut down Cyprus’ airspace? You have shot youselves in the foot,” Osadchiy says, in fluent Greek, in a clip from the interview posted on twitter by Yiota Hadjicosta, a journalist with Cyprus’ Politis newspaper.

“#Russian Ambassador to Cyprus openly threatened #Cyprus in an interview with a local media outlet. Unbelievable! #Ukraine #Russia,” Hadjicosta tweeted.

Osadchiy, 71, has been Ambassador to Cyprus since 2013; before that, he was Ambassador to Austria and consul-general in Hamburg, Germany and Istanbul.

Cyprus, along with all 27 EU members, has closed its airspace to Russian planes.

https://www.ekathimerini.com/news/11786 ... s-for-you/

[Dominic]

It is picking up actually.

Turkey's economy boomed 11% last year, most in a decade

https://www.reuters.com/markets/asia/tu ... 022-02-28/

Admitedly, it could be the dead-cat-bounce of fable, but...

[Kili01]

Turkey has announced they have closed the Bospherous Strait and the Sea of Marmara, to all shipping. Except ships based at ports in the Black Sea. Unfortunately there is a large Russian Naval base there... But it was stated that that Turkey doesn't want more ships which belong to other navies clogging up the Black Sea coasts and which are engaged in the Ukrainian conflict.

Dee

[Kili01]

Sometime Cyprus may have to decide whether it is facing west or east.. it is trying to run with the hare and hunt with the hounds! Which will make life difficult as it is an EU member state and should be following the EU rules.. For example apparently a few years ago Cyprus agreed to allow Russian ships to use Cypriot ports for more services than just visiting. The Russians would also,like to base military aircraft here. How can that happen on an island which already has the SBA's?
There could be limits on the type of business activities which Russian companies are allowed here. But on the other hand Cyprus always needs money, though the Rouble is now seriously devalued...due to the present sanctions.

Dee

[WHL]

Sometime Cyprus may have to decide whether it is facing west or east.. it is trying to run with the hare and hunt with the hounds! Which will make life difficult as it is an EU member state and should be following the EU rules.. For example apparently a few years ago Cyprus agreed to allow Russian ships to use Cypriot ports for more services than just visiting. The Russians would also,like to base military aircraft here. How can that happen on an island which already has the SBA's?
There could be limits on the type of business activities which Russian companies are allowed here. But on the other hand Cyprus always needs money, though the Rouble is now seriously devalued...due to the present sanctions.

Dee

You should be writing fairy tales.
You really have a vivid imagination, Russian military planes stationed here, that's a corker

[Kili01]

No, its just reports that have appeared in the press here from time to time. Maybe just speculation on the part of the writers.. Some of these were in the time when Demetrius Christofias was in power.
Surely, Cyprus must now be fully aware of what some Russians are capable of?

Dee

[WHL]

No, its just reports that have appeared in the press here from time to time. Maybe just speculation on the part of the writers.. Some of these were in the time when Demetrius Christofias was in power.
Surely, Cyprus must now be fully aware of what some Russians are capable of?

Dee

Spin it how you want, but if you really believe for one second, that having Russian military's jets stationed in Cyprus was ever a possibility,
then all I can say is, that's some good stuff your smoking.

[galexinda]

There was a lot of media coverage about discussions between Cyprus and Russia about access to certain facilities and yes, the Russians did want to base their aircraft in Cyprus but that was turned down. Quite a few articles available but below is a link to one that has more detail about the situation.

''Cyprus to give access to its ports, airstrips to Russian military''.
Feb 10, 2015 (updated: Feb 18, 2015)

President of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades has said he is in talks with the Russian government to let its military ships and planes use Cypriot ports and airstrips in case of humanitarian operations or in emergency situations.

https://www.euractiv.com/section/global ... -military/

[Firefly]

At a time like this why is it all about money, I would like to bet that money is the last thing on the minds of the Ukraininan people.

[PhotoLady]

An interesting article from Travel Weekly around the events of tourism and the effect from the Russian favoured travel destinations after flight cancellations in the few days following the invasion of Ukraine



From the article:
ForwardKeys identified the top-20 destinations booked by Russian travellers for the period of March to May as Turkey, the UAE, the Maldives, Thailand, Greece, Egypt, Cyprus, Armenia, the Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Hungary, Bulgaria, Mexico, Spain, Azerbaijan, the US, UK, Qatar, Italy and Uzbekistan.

[Kili01]

Yes, the situation of the people in Ukraine is desperate.
I hope that Cyprus doesn't decide to allow Russian flights to land here. If he does Cyprus may become a pariah state within the EU, as well as discrediting its responsibilities as an EU member. All this is aimed to try to stop this appalling war.

Also, with the dire financial situation in Russia at present the value of the rouble has dropped substantially. Will Russians be planning their summer holidays at present? More likely, we'll get a flood of Russian refugees instead. It would also be a real kick in the belly for the Ukrainian expat community here. These people are the ones to need assistance.

Dee

[WHL]

I hope that Cyprus doesn't decide to allow Russian flights to land here. If he does Cyprus may become a pariah state within the EU, as well as discrediting its responsibilities as an EU member. All this is aimed to try to stop this appalling war. Dee

Dee and Les, why are you even entertaining those thoughts?

Cyprus is a fully committed member of the EU...and ALL EU member states, without exception, have undertaken not to allow Russian aircraft to use their airspace or airports in any way, shape or form.

Simple as.

No. I'm afraid it's not quite "simple as"
https://in-cyprus.philenews.com/nicosia ... craft-ban/

Surely the Big boys should be pressurizing Turkey to fall in line with the rest of the World re the flight ban, instead of Turkey trying to profit for herself?

[PhotoLady]

So is this a case of Cyprus not wanting any Russian money being spent solely in the north of the island?

Or is it perhaps that any Russian tourists could still be allowed to cross through the UN controls to holiday in the Republic of Cyprus?

I would anticipate the EU27 may have a few words to say on this issue.

[WHL]

If Turkey refuses to join the Flight ban, and starts to transport Russian tourists to the occupied north of the Island, then the Republic has every right to reconsider Russian flights to the republic.

[WHL]

If Turkey refuses to join the Flight ban, and starts to transport Russian tourists to the occupied north of the Island, then the Republic has every right to reconsider Russian flights to the republic.

I don't think they do, any more than any other eu country.
Also, I think it's most unlikely, seeing how effective the sanctions seem to be, that Russian tourists will have the money, facilities, or even the will to take foreign holidays

Les I think you will find they can, and will do if Turkey starts to take the P.

[Devil]

If Turkey refuses to join the Flight ban, and starts to transport Russian tourists to the occupied north of the Island, then the Republic has every right to reconsider Russian flights to the republic.

No, the Republic will still not have any right to allow Russian flights within its airspace. On the other hand, it could sanction the North by closing the barriers and by other means, including switching off the grid between the North and South.

[Dominic]

It is at times like these that blessings should be counted, as we can do little else.

[Kili01]

No! Turkey was not allowed to join the EU. Whereas the Cyprus Republic was able to join.
WHL. Have you no consideration for the gravity of this war, which should must be stopped before other states in E. Europe could potentially be attacked to in due course..?

Dee

[WHL]

No! Turkey was not allowed to join the EU. Whereas the Cyprus Republic was able to join.
WHL. Have you no consideration for the gravity of this war, which should must be stopped before other states in E. Europe could potentially be attacked to in due course..?

Dee

What are you going on about? What gives you the impression I'm not taking this war seriously, I have already posted that my heart goes out to those unfortunate inocents getting bombed day and night,
As for Turkey/ Cyprus joining the EU, well youve lost me there