Cyprus-Forum.com

[Jerry]

Well this makes a change, it would seem it is not all the GCs fault.



Miscalculations, image hit tourism in N. Cyprus
Thursday, January 10, 2008


Tourism in Turkish Cyprus needs a new strategy that leaves gambling aside.




The pillar of the Turkish Republic of northern Cyprus’ economy, tourism, is on shaky ground. In recent months 24 hotels have closed down and 2,000 people have been let off. Around 50 hotels will close down after New Year’s Eve. Northern Cyprus Hoteliers Association Chairman Turhan Beydağlı says an immediate strategy should be adopted in order to create an image of Cyprus as a country of universities and tourism


Investments in new hotels, which have been booming in Turkish Cyprus for the last three years in the hope that the United Nations mediated plan to find a lasting peace on the divided island will be accepted, are facing serious trouble.

The tourism sector in Turkish Cyprus is in serious crisis with 24 hotels closed and 50 more on the brink of shutting down. The rejection by the Greek Cypriots of the U.N. mediated peace plan is not the only reason behind the optimistic expectations for the tourism sector not materializing. The continuation of the isolation of the island despite promises from the European Union that sanctions will be eased, coupled with insufficient marketing are also considered reasons for the crisis.

Around 2,000 people were laid off, as occupancy rates did not even reach 30 percent, last summer. “Tourism suffered a lot due to many mistakes made one after another. And the sector will collapse unless a new strategy is developed leaving aside gambling,” said Turhan Beydağlı, chairman of northern Cyprus Hoteliers Association. Gambling is legal in northern Cyprus.

When Turkish Cyprus voted in favor of the United Nation's plan called the Annan Plan the construction and tourism sectors experienced a boom. Yet, they have been going through troubled times lately. The buildings initially planned for sale to the British remain unsold. The hopes for direct flights between Ercan Airport and destinations in the U.K. have faded away. Although the total number of beds rose sharply, the occupancy rate is only 44 percent for hotels with casinos and 30 percent for those without.

Beydağlı said problems in the construction sector also affected the tourism sector. “Tourism regions are filled with incomplete hotel constructions. Such a sight does not befit a tourism center. The south of the island receives three million tourists annually and the average accommodation period is 11 days. We receive 300,000 people, who visit only the casinos on weekends. There are new facilities. But they shared a piece of the current pie in the market rather than creating a new market.”

Beydağlı also criticized the fact that the hotels appear in the tabloid press. “It was thought that having some artists over at the hotels as a promotion would help the business. We became a derogatory topic in the tabloid press. Mafia settling in the casinos badly hit another source of income – the universities – as well as tourism. Families do not send their children because of the bad image and costliness. Even the universities now lack students.”



Gamblers instead of tourists:

Turkish Cyprus Chamber of Commerce Chairman Hasan İnce said the worst mistake was made in the marketing strategy. Unqualified staff were used in expensive and poor quality services. İnce said instead of normal tourists the marketing strategy had gamblers as a target audience, adding, “a normal tourist cannot get a one-week reservation. Weekdays are not sold, because gamblers book for the weekends. This led to a bad image. Gambling is not a priority for Cyprus tourism. It is time we started marketing Cypriot history, nature and culture. We can hold promotion campaigns in Turkey's busiest airports on the Aegean and Mediterranean coastline for foreign tourists. The primary obstacle before tourism is transport which should be subsidized by the state.”

Source; Turkish Daily News

[utu]

So? Unamimity of voice only exists in those countries that force it (like North Korea, whichrecords 100 percent voter turnout and 100 percent vote for the ruling party).

[Nikitas]

"It is time we started marketing Cypriot history, nature and culture"

What nature is left must therefore be protected. According to the environmental groups of the TRNC nature is being quickly altered by the unchecked building, quarrying and problems with garbage management.

What history exactly will be promoted and how? The attempts I have seen on TRNC websites are pitiful propaganda exercises where the word Greek is excluded even in the description of places like Salamis, which is described as a Roman city.

The descriptions of orthodox monasteries are even worse. I will not comment about culture.

In mainland Turkey they realised the profit potential of classical antiquities and religious sites and their ad campaigns start with Byzantine icons. In TRNC they collected the icons and sent most of them to overseas dealers. Talk about cutting off your nose to spite your face!

Tourism is becoming more specialised every year. One of the most profitable specialties is religious tourism, with wealthy older American on cruises that follow the steps of Saint Paul etc. If these people visit the TRNC to walk the places where the Apostles Barnabas and Andrew walked what will they see?

[Viewpoint]

"It is time we started marketing Cypriot history, nature and culture"

What nature is left must therefore be protected. According to the environmental groups of the TRNC nature is being quickly altered by the unchecked building, quarrying and problems with garbage management.

What history exactly will be promoted and how? The attempts I have seen on TRNC websites are pitiful propaganda exercises where the word Greek is excluded even in the description of places like Salamis, which is described as a Roman city.

The descriptions of orthodox monasteries are even worse. I will not comment about culture.

In mainland Turkey they realised the profit potential of classical antiquities and religious sites and their ad campaigns start with Byzantine icons. In TRNC they collected the icons and sent most of them to overseas dealers. Talk about cutting off your nose to spite your face!

Tourism is becoming more specialised every year. One of the most profitable specialties is religious tourism, with wealthy older American on cruises that follow the steps of Saint Paul etc. If these people visit the TRNC to walk the places where the Apostles Barnabas and Andrew walked what will they see?

Why are you so worried about the TRNC? look after your own 63% of the island, put your own house in order and cater to your tourists.

[umit07]

Nikitas

Don't you have the same sort of problem in the south, in the past the number of tourists visting the south was over 3 million a year, now it's around 2.5 million (I think?) and is going down every year I agree about what you say about advertising and restoring historic places.

As for the topic isolation is still a big problem, GC's try to stop tourists coming to the north. Remember the ad's in the undrground and buses?

[boomerang]

Yes, I do agree that GC's were ethniclly cleansed in 74 but they were not victims of GENOCIDE.

http://www.cyprus-forum.com/viewtopic.php?t=15240&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=30

Oh yes that makes it much better now...again thank you for enlightning me...

DT

In the situation after 74 TC's had to live separately for security purposes, so in the end some GC's would have to have been moved, somewhere.

http://www.cyprus-forum.com/viewtopic.php?t=15240&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=30

And I suppose you asked these people if they wanted to be moved....or you took it upon yourself to serve justice on a platter...the question is was that a cold or a hot platter?

Any new soln must be based on to seperate federal states
and at the same time have reservations in TC interest

http://www.cyprus-forum.com/viewtopic.php?t=15240&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=10

I see all of a sudden you started to understand the meaning of the words extortion and ransom?

boomerang
Yes you may argue that they ethnicnally cleansed you from your lands but it was something you had coming. All refugees moving back is a dream its not gonna happen.

http://www.cyprus-forum.com/viewtopic.php?t=15240&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=10

They now are they?...But I just read in the paper today, the Turkey, talat and the generals was thinking in sink...

But its the had it coming that sticks out the most...you should be ashamed of your self to even think about these choice of words not alone voicing them...and then you have the balls to coma out and say...

My view also halil, neıther I or any other TC want to use this material as a source of hatred against them, only for them have a little sympathy for the stuff that happened to us, but they look at the problem like it's buisness it's not in their "National Interest" to be guilty of anything.

Justifiable means to an end I suppose...

Halil

I really don't get it they never ever own up to anything it's as if the 74 events came out of the blue. If the generation how lived through the 60's thinks this way, the young generation must think they are the "virgin mary".

From a GC perspective they don't like the word isolation,( isolation sounds to inhuman) to them it's about everything being illegal and not having control over it. Thats why they make statements like come over and export from the legal ports of Cyprus.

http://www.cyprus-forum.com/viewtopic.php?t=15240&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=10

After all the admissions of ethnically cleansing you come up with this doozy...bravo

As for the topic isolation is still a big problem, GC's try to stop tourists coming to the north. Remember the ad's in the undrground and buses?

And now you saying the GCs are to blame for your isolations...Its all about me isn't?...Atleast you came out and said it...Atleast with friends like you who the hell needs enemys?

PS...has it ever occur to you that some of the people that you ethnically cleansed was fighting agianst enosis...they were on your side to begin with?...or you think every GC.TC, man, woman and child should pay for all sins...?

Fair?...certainly not...whose fault to this very day?...turkey thats who...She was a guarantor power, guaranteeing the RoC, not communities...And if this is how guarantor powers work, well I for one says they can go back up the dark canal they came from...Same with Greece and UK...

Some fucking guarantor fucking powers these fucking countries are...fucking hell

[T_C]

What would you do if you were Turkey and came to restore some sort of peace and as soon as you got there you start getting shot at?? If I'm not mistaken the most casualties were suffered in Kyrenia when they 1st arrived...then they went on to find Turkish villages being dug up from mass graves and what not...what "peace" were they supposed to restore?!?

[halil]

latest news
TRNC TO OPEN TOURISM OFFICE IN S. KOREAN CAPITAL.
A North Cyprus tourism office is to be opened in the South Korean Capital Soeul, the TRNC Ministry of Economy and Tourism has announced.

A protocol was signed today at the Ministry of Economy and Tourism with the Parados Europe Company operating in South Korea to facilitate the opening of the North Cyprus Tourism office.
According to the protocol, the Parados Europe Company will be in charge of running the tourism office which aims to promote the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, the Minister of Economy and Tourism Erdogan Sanlidag said that the tourism office to be opened in the South Korean capital will work towards promoting the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

For his part, the President of the Parados Europe company Lee Chung Hooh said that the protocol was the first step in establishing close relations between the two countries and for attracting South Korean tourists to North Cyprus.




While i was writing this new news came on.
Taekwondo team from İRAK disappear from their hotel. properly they gone to Southern part of the İsland for political asylum .

[Kikapu]

latest news
TRNC TO OPEN TOURISM OFFICE IN S. KOREAN CAPITAL.
A North Cyprus tourism office is to be opened in the South Korean Capital Soeul, the TRNC Ministry of Economy and Tourism has announced.

A protocol was signed today at the Ministry of Economy and Tourism with the Parados Europe Company operating in South Korea to facilitate the opening of the North Cyprus Tourism office.
According to the protocol, the Parados Europe Company will be in charge of running the tourism office which aims to promote the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, the Minister of Economy and Tourism Erdogan Sanlidag said that the tourism office to be opened in the South Korean capital will work towards promoting the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

For his part, the President of the Parados Europe company Lee Chung Hooh said that the protocol was the first step in establishing close relations between the two countries and for attracting South Korean tourists to North Cyprus.




While i was writing this new news came on.
Taekwondo team from İRAK disappear from their hotel. properly they gone to Southern part of the İsland for political asylum .

Halil,

Don't you think tourism to all over Cyprus will increase if there was a permanent settlement, that was acceptable to both sides, where the whole island can benefit. I don't want to stop you from promoting tourism all 4 corners of the world, but come on, South Korea.?? If you think South Koreans are going to pack their bags and make a long journey to come and visit a small island that is divided, just like their own country, someone was not thinking correctly. They already have their own demilitarized zone or "Green Line" if you prefer over 50 years, so I think that novelty of taking pictures of barbed wires has long been worn of by them.

I was at the Travel Convention last year that takes place here in Zurich every year. One is due again in a few weeks, which I will again attend to. Last year there was a counter for the "TRNC" to promote the North to tourism. I was at the convention for couple of hours, and aside from me and my girlfriend, I did not see anyone else stop by to talk or get any information. For one thing, it was not set up to catch any one's attention despite being close to the RoC's and Turkey's counter, which were both pact with people. Point being, there wasn't very much on offer by the "TRNC" that was not available in the RoC or Turkey. For the North to prosper from tourism, it can only come as a package with the RoC. Remove the political instability and the occupation, and you will see a prospered North.

Most TC's that travel to the "TRNC" from the UK either stay with family or in their own homes. They mostly will eat at home, or at a local restaurant, and are not considered to be tourist really. They will never spend the money that tourist do. You have 70 million people in Turkey, so why don't they come in large numbers to visit the "TRNC" if there's so much to offer tourist. I'm sorry but you are not going to be able to depend on tourism to improve the economy of the North, even if you did have your Independent Free State with all the recognitions given to you.

[Nikitas]

TC said:

"What would you do if you were Turkey and came to restore some sort of peace and as soon as you got there you start getting shot at?? If I'm not mistaken the most casualties were suffered in Kyrenia when they 1st arrived...then they went on to find Turkish villages being dug up from mass graves and what not...what "peace" were they supposed to restore?!? "

The pretext was to restore the contitutional order. Turkey definitely did not do that!

The dug up graves in the Sandalaris and Maratha villages, yes, but there were mass graves of Greeks killed the same time in Afania, which they did not dig up, they hid them till now. So there goes the pretext of justice.

The violence perpetrated on the people of Karpasia, days after the Turkish army prevailed, where there had been no violence against TCs ever, says a lot about the intentions and plans of the Turkish army. Look at the Sunday Times reports in September 1974 about what happened in Karpasia, then come here and talk about what choices the Turkish army had. And do explain to us the statement by Ecevit that had we accepted the ultimatum of August 13 Turkey would not have had to kill 4500 people in Attila II.

Thank god that some of us are old enough to remember what happened.