Cyprus-Forum.com

[Viewpoint]

By Jean Christou

TURKISH credit cards clocked up €14.3 million in spending in the south of the island in the first nine months of this year, compared to only €7.3 million spent by Greek Cypriots in the north and in Turkey.

Greek Cypriots spent €5.5 million in the north between January and September, according to statistics released by JCC yesterday. They also spent €1.8 million in Turkey.

The total figure of €7.3 million is just less than half the amount of money spent by Turkish Cypriots and other Turkish credit card holders.

Their spending comes out at around €53,000 per day, compared to €27,000 per day on average spent by Greek Cypriots in the north and in Turkey.

The bulk of the money spent by Greek Cypriots in Turkey goes to hotels, retailers and airlines, signifying a substantial flow of tourism from the south of the island to Turkey.

As far as the north is concerned, the vast majority of credit card spending by Greek Cypriots goes on entertainment, which accounts for €3.1 million out of the total €5.5 million.

Greek Cypriots spent €1.2 million on hotels in the north in the first nine months, and the bulk of the rest on shopping, clothing, DIY, with smaller amounts on petrol – some €22,000 – and an insignificant € 6.500 on food and drink.

Last month, €716,707 was spent by Greek Cypriots on credit cards in the north, compared to €1.9 million spent by Turkish Cypriots in the government-controlled areas in September alone.

The bulk of Turkish Cypriot credit-card spending goes on supermarkets in the south, where €3.4 million was spent in the first nine months. The second most bought commodity was clothes, racking up €2.7 million in credit card spending. This was followed by DIY and household items at €2.0 million and another €2.0 million in other shops.

Turkish credit cards were also used to buy €270,000-worth of airline tickets. Some €450,000 went on entertainment, €380,000 on health care and €740,000 on buying petrol.

Turkish Cypriots also spent over €100,000 on hotels in the south and over €60,000 on eating out during the nine months.

The number of transactions by Turkish credit card holders was 243,877 compared to 27,425 transactions by Greek Cypriots.

Meanwhile overall credit card spending continued to rise in September…

Greek Cypriots spent €5 million a day on their credit cards in September, an increase of 20 per cent year on year, even as the world lurched towards the worst recession in 80 years.

Over €150 million was spent during the month on credit cards, bringing the total so far this year to €1.4 billion, also a 20 per cent hike on September 2007, well before the global credit crunch began to hit home.

In addition to the money spent at home, Cypriots spent €90 million abroad on their credit cards last month, which represents an increase of 27 per cent over September 2007.

So far this year, €704 million has been spent abroad on Cypriot credit cards, one third more than in the first nine months of 2007.

However, the figures reveal some bad news for spending by visitors to the island. In the first nine months there was no change in credit card spending by tourists over 2007.

Nearly €384 million was spent on credit cards by tourists on the island in the first nine months. Last month, credit card spending by tourists reached €56 million, only four per cent up on September 2007.



Copyright © Cyprus Mail 2008

[Piratis]

This amount is only for credit cards, not money in general.

[bill cobbett]

When we went on a day-trip to the Occupied North a couple of years ago, Mrs Bill Cobbett and I spent a total of 20 cents when we visited a convenience.

[bill cobbett]

By Jean Christou

TURKISH credit cards clocked up €14.3 million in spending in the south of the island in the first nine months of this year, compared to only €7.3 million spent by Greek Cypriots in the north and in Turkey.

Greek Cypriots spent €5.5 million in the north between January and September, according to statistics released by JCC yesterday. They also spent €1.8 million in Turkey.

The total figure of €7.3 million is just less than half the amount of money spent by Turkish Cypriots and other Turkish credit card holders.

Their spending comes out at around €53,000 per day, compared to €27,000 per day on average spent by Greek Cypriots in the north and in Turkey.

The bulk of the money spent by Greek Cypriots in Turkey goes to hotels, retailers and airlines, signifying a substantial flow of tourism from the south of the island to Turkey.

As far as the north is concerned, the vast majority of credit card spending by Greek Cypriots goes on entertainment, which accounts for €3.1 million out of the total €5.5 million.

Greek Cypriots spent €1.2 million on hotels in the north in the first nine months, and the bulk of the rest on shopping, clothing, DIY, with smaller amounts on petrol – some €22,000 – and an insignificant € 6.500 on food and drink.

Last month, €716,707 was spent by Greek Cypriots on credit cards in the north, compared to €1.9 million spent by Turkish Cypriots in the government-controlled areas in September alone.

The bulk of Turkish Cypriot credit-card spending goes on supermarkets in the south, where €3.4 million was spent in the first nine months. The second most bought commodity was clothes, racking up €2.7 million in credit card spending. This was followed by DIY and household items at €2.0 million and another €2.0 million in other shops.

Turkish credit cards were also used to buy €270,000-worth of airline tickets. Some €450,000 went on entertainment, €380,000 on health care and €740,000 on buying petrol.

Turkish Cypriots also spent over €100,000 on hotels in the south and over €60,000 on eating out during the nine months.

The number of transactions by Turkish credit card holders was 243,877 compared to 27,425 transactions by Greek Cypriots.

Meanwhile overall credit card spending continued to rise in September…

Greek Cypriots spent €5 million a day on their credit cards in September, an increase of 20 per cent year on year, even as the world lurched towards the worst recession in 80 years.

Over €150 million was spent during the month on credit cards, bringing the total so far this year to €1.4 billion, also a 20 per cent hike on September 2007, well before the global credit crunch began to hit home.

In addition to the money spent at home, Cypriots spent €90 million abroad on their credit cards last month, which represents an increase of 27 per cent over September 2007.

So far this year, €704 million has been spent abroad on Cypriot credit cards, one third more than in the first nine months of 2007.

However, the figures reveal some bad news for spending by visitors to the island. In the first nine months there was no change in credit card spending by tourists over 2007.

Nearly €384 million was spent on credit cards by tourists on the island in the first nine months. Last month, credit card spending by tourists reached €56 million, only four per cent up on September 2007.



Copyright © Cyprus Mail 2008

What I'd like to know is how the credit card companies know that the spending in the Occupied North is by gcs alone. How on earth do the credit card companies determine the ethnicity of the card holders?

Are there people in offices checking the names of the card holders? No, I don't think so. isn't it more likely that the amount refered to is the total card spending by cards registered to RoC addresses and much of this would be spending by Ex-pats and overseas holiday makers travelling south to north for a trip and not gcs?

I fear the work of bad journalism here and of a morally bankrupt Propagandist.

[Viewpoint]

By Jean Christou

TURKISH credit cards clocked up €14.3 million in spending in the south of the island in the first nine months of this year, compared to only €7.3 million spent by Greek Cypriots in the north and in Turkey.

Greek Cypriots spent €5.5 million in the north between January and September, according to statistics released by JCC yesterday. They also spent €1.8 million in Turkey.

The total figure of €7.3 million is just less than half the amount of money spent by Turkish Cypriots and other Turkish credit card holders.

Their spending comes out at around €53,000 per day, compared to €27,000 per day on average spent by Greek Cypriots in the north and in Turkey.

The bulk of the money spent by Greek Cypriots in Turkey goes to hotels, retailers and airlines, signifying a substantial flow of tourism from the south of the island to Turkey.

As far as the north is concerned, the vast majority of credit card spending by Greek Cypriots goes on entertainment, which accounts for €3.1 million out of the total €5.5 million.

Greek Cypriots spent €1.2 million on hotels in the north in the first nine months, and the bulk of the rest on shopping, clothing, DIY, with smaller amounts on petrol – some €22,000 – and an insignificant € 6.500 on food and drink.

Last month, €716,707 was spent by Greek Cypriots on credit cards in the north, compared to €1.9 million spent by Turkish Cypriots in the government-controlled areas in September alone.

The bulk of Turkish Cypriot credit-card spending goes on supermarkets in the south, where €3.4 million was spent in the first nine months. The second most bought commodity was clothes, racking up €2.7 million in credit card spending. This was followed by DIY and household items at €2.0 million and another €2.0 million in other shops.

Turkish credit cards were also used to buy €270,000-worth of airline tickets. Some €450,000 went on entertainment, €380,000 on health care and €740,000 on buying petrol.

Turkish Cypriots also spent over €100,000 on hotels in the south and over €60,000 on eating out during the nine months.

The number of transactions by Turkish credit card holders was 243,877 compared to 27,425 transactions by Greek Cypriots.

Meanwhile overall credit card spending continued to rise in September…

Greek Cypriots spent €5 million a day on their credit cards in September, an increase of 20 per cent year on year, even as the world lurched towards the worst recession in 80 years.

Over €150 million was spent during the month on credit cards, bringing the total so far this year to €1.4 billion, also a 20 per cent hike on September 2007, well before the global credit crunch began to hit home.

In addition to the money spent at home, Cypriots spent €90 million abroad on their credit cards last month, which represents an increase of 27 per cent over September 2007.

So far this year, €704 million has been spent abroad on Cypriot credit cards, one third more than in the first nine months of 2007.

However, the figures reveal some bad news for spending by visitors to the island. In the first nine months there was no change in credit card spending by tourists over 2007.

Nearly €384 million was spent on credit cards by tourists on the island in the first nine months. Last month, credit card spending by tourists reached €56 million, only four per cent up on September 2007.



Copyright © Cyprus Mail 2008

What I'd like to know is how the credit card companies know that the spending in the Occupied North is by gcs alone. How on earth do the credit card companies determine the ethnicity of the card holders?

Are there people in offices checking the names of the card holders? No, I don't think so. isn't it more likely that the amount refered to is the total card spending by cards registered to RoC addresses and much of this would be spending by Ex-pats and overseas holiday makers travelling south to north for a trip and not gcs?

I fear the work of bad journalism here and of a morally bankrupt Propagandist.

Its real easy you moron the cards have a country of issue code.

[bill cobbett]

By Jean Christou

TURKISH credit cards clocked up €14.3 million in spending in the south of the island in the first nine months of this year, compared to only €7.3 million spent by Greek Cypriots in the north and in Turkey.

Greek Cypriots spent €5.5 million in the north between January and September, according to statistics released by JCC yesterday. They also spent €1.8 million in Turkey.

The total figure of €7.3 million is just less than half the amount of money spent by Turkish Cypriots and other Turkish credit card holders.

Their spending comes out at around €53,000 per day, compared to €27,000 per day on average spent by Greek Cypriots in the north and in Turkey.

The bulk of the money spent by Greek Cypriots in Turkey goes to hotels, retailers and airlines, signifying a substantial flow of tourism from the south of the island to Turkey.

As far as the north is concerned, the vast majority of credit card spending by Greek Cypriots goes on entertainment, which accounts for €3.1 million out of the total €5.5 million.

Greek Cypriots spent €1.2 million on hotels in the north in the first nine months, and the bulk of the rest on shopping, clothing, DIY, with smaller amounts on petrol – some €22,000 – and an insignificant € 6.500 on food and drink.

Last month, €716,707 was spent by Greek Cypriots on credit cards in the north, compared to €1.9 million spent by Turkish Cypriots in the government-controlled areas in September alone.

The bulk of Turkish Cypriot credit-card spending goes on supermarkets in the south, where €3.4 million was spent in the first nine months. The second most bought commodity was clothes, racking up €2.7 million in credit card spending. This was followed by DIY and household items at €2.0 million and another €2.0 million in other shops.

Turkish credit cards were also used to buy €270,000-worth of airline tickets. Some €450,000 went on entertainment, €380,000 on health care and €740,000 on buying petrol.

Turkish Cypriots also spent over €100,000 on hotels in the south and over €60,000 on eating out during the nine months.

The number of transactions by Turkish credit card holders was 243,877 compared to 27,425 transactions by Greek Cypriots.

Meanwhile overall credit card spending continued to rise in September…

Greek Cypriots spent €5 million a day on their credit cards in September, an increase of 20 per cent year on year, even as the world lurched towards the worst recession in 80 years.

Over €150 million was spent during the month on credit cards, bringing the total so far this year to €1.4 billion, also a 20 per cent hike on September 2007, well before the global credit crunch began to hit home.

In addition to the money spent at home, Cypriots spent €90 million abroad on their credit cards last month, which represents an increase of 27 per cent over September 2007.

So far this year, €704 million has been spent abroad on Cypriot credit cards, one third more than in the first nine months of 2007.

However, the figures reveal some bad news for spending by visitors to the island. In the first nine months there was no change in credit card spending by tourists over 2007.

Nearly €384 million was spent on credit cards by tourists on the island in the first nine months. Last month, credit card spending by tourists reached €56 million, only four per cent up on September 2007.



Copyright © Cyprus Mail 2008

What I'd like to know is how the credit card companies know that the spending in the Occupied North is by gcs alone. How on earth do the credit card companies determine the ethnicity of the card holders?

Are there people in offices checking the names of the card holders? No, I don't think so. isn't it more likely that the amount refered to is the total card spending by cards registered to RoC addresses and much of this would be spending by Ex-pats and overseas holiday makers travelling south to north for a trip and not gcs?

I fear the work of bad journalism here and of a morally bankrupt Propagandist.

Its real easy you moron the cards have a country of issue code.

Well MorallyBankruptPropagandist Cretinous Pillock - A card issued to, say, a GB ex-pat living in Paphos, a card issued by an RoC bank to a Cy addressee has a GB code on it does it? Of course it doesn't, it'll have an RoC code on it.

The fact remains there is no way to tell the ethnicity of the holder of a card from any of the machine readable numerical data on the card. Bad journalism and Lamentable Propaganda.

[kurupetos]

When we went on a day-trip to the Occupied North a couple of years ago, Mrs Bill Cobbett and I spent a total of 20 cents when we visited a convenience.

Add all the conveniences and you might be surprised!

[Viewpoint]

By Jean Christou

TURKISH credit cards clocked up €14.3 million in spending in the south of the island in the first nine months of this year, compared to only €7.3 million spent by Greek Cypriots in the north and in Turkey.

Greek Cypriots spent €5.5 million in the north between January and September, according to statistics released by JCC yesterday. They also spent €1.8 million in Turkey.

The total figure of €7.3 million is just less than half the amount of money spent by Turkish Cypriots and other Turkish credit card holders.

Their spending comes out at around €53,000 per day, compared to €27,000 per day on average spent by Greek Cypriots in the north and in Turkey.

The bulk of the money spent by Greek Cypriots in Turkey goes to hotels, retailers and airlines, signifying a substantial flow of tourism from the south of the island to Turkey.

As far as the north is concerned, the vast majority of credit card spending by Greek Cypriots goes on entertainment, which accounts for €3.1 million out of the total €5.5 million.

Greek Cypriots spent €1.2 million on hotels in the north in the first nine months, and the bulk of the rest on shopping, clothing, DIY, with smaller amounts on petrol – some €22,000 – and an insignificant € 6.500 on food and drink.

Last month, €716,707 was spent by Greek Cypriots on credit cards in the north, compared to €1.9 million spent by Turkish Cypriots in the government-controlled areas in September alone.

The bulk of Turkish Cypriot credit-card spending goes on supermarkets in the south, where €3.4 million was spent in the first nine months. The second most bought commodity was clothes, racking up €2.7 million in credit card spending. This was followed by DIY and household items at €2.0 million and another €2.0 million in other shops.

Turkish credit cards were also used to buy €270,000-worth of airline tickets. Some €450,000 went on entertainment, €380,000 on health care and €740,000 on buying petrol.

Turkish Cypriots also spent over €100,000 on hotels in the south and over €60,000 on eating out during the nine months.

The number of transactions by Turkish credit card holders was 243,877 compared to 27,425 transactions by Greek Cypriots.

Meanwhile overall credit card spending continued to rise in September…

Greek Cypriots spent €5 million a day on their credit cards in September, an increase of 20 per cent year on year, even as the world lurched towards the worst recession in 80 years.

Over €150 million was spent during the month on credit cards, bringing the total so far this year to €1.4 billion, also a 20 per cent hike on September 2007, well before the global credit crunch began to hit home.

In addition to the money spent at home, Cypriots spent €90 million abroad on their credit cards last month, which represents an increase of 27 per cent over September 2007.

So far this year, €704 million has been spent abroad on Cypriot credit cards, one third more than in the first nine months of 2007.

However, the figures reveal some bad news for spending by visitors to the island. In the first nine months there was no change in credit card spending by tourists over 2007.

Nearly €384 million was spent on credit cards by tourists on the island in the first nine months. Last month, credit card spending by tourists reached €56 million, only four per cent up on September 2007.



Copyright © Cyprus Mail 2008

What I'd like to know is how the credit card companies know that the spending in the Occupied North is by gcs alone. How on earth do the credit card companies determine the ethnicity of the card holders?

Are there people in offices checking the names of the card holders? No, I don't think so. isn't it more likely that the amount refered to is the total card spending by cards registered to RoC addresses and much of this would be spending by Ex-pats and overseas holiday makers travelling south to north for a trip and not gcs?

I fear the work of bad journalism here and of a morally bankrupt Propagandist.

Its real easy you moron the cards have a country of issue code.

Well MorallyBankruptPropagandist Cretinous Pillock - A card issued to, say, a GB ex-pat living in Paphos, a card issued by an RoC bank to a Cy addressee has a GB code on it does it? Of course it doesn't, it'll have an RoC code on it.

The fact remains there is no way to tell the ethnicity of the holder of a card from any of the machine readable numerical data on the card. Bad journalism and Lamentable Propaganda.

If Greek Cypriots banks issue cards to non residents or foreigners or any tom dick and bill then they would be included in their figures which means even less GCs spend money in the TRNC.

[bill cobbett]

Oh dear. My point is that RoC banks do issue cards to Ex-pats Brits and other nationalities who are resident in the RoC and that therefore it is impossible to tell the extent of gc spending with cards in the north. It would have been much more accurate to describe the figure quoted as the total spent by all RoC bank card holders.

The figure the article quotes gives only an upper limit to a gc spend but this figure must be reduced by the amount spent by RoC resident card-holders who are not gc to give a lower figure. How much lower can only be guessed at.

[humanist]

Thanking all Turkish Cypriots who spend the money in the RoC :):):) please come again