Cyprus-Forum.com

[Sotos]

CHAV: noun, (slang); derogatory term used to describe the lower to middle class youth in urban Britain. Often without a high level of education, this group can be identified by their relationship with designer labels including the chav favourite: Burberry. If they’re girls, very short skirts, large hoop earrings and stilettos are the go. Icons include the Beckhams and Wayne Rooney.

CHAVELLER: noun, (slang); defined by the Evening Standard as a chav on the move: ‘binge drinkers abroad’, ‘ASBOs at large’.

HAVING DEFINED the chaveller, we can now reveal that their love affair with the booze and sun holiday lifestyle offered in the Mediterranean is waning. It seems holidaying in Ayia Napa, Faliraki or Benidorm is apparently no longer enough for today’s British working class youth.
Lured by the prospects of low-cost travel and flexible employment, Chavellers are now looking for alternative destinations to their traditional hotspots such as Australia, Thailand and India, which have been officially taken over by their masses.

“This trend could be positive for Cyprus, because it supports the government’s goal of shifting the market to higher-income tourists,” said John Surrey, director of Marketing and Communications with Synovate market research, whose UK youth research unit released a report on the travelling habits of the aforementioned demographic.

“If Ayia Napa and other local resorts become less popular with British working class tourists, it would provide motivation to upgrade accommodation and other facilities in order to attract upmarket visitors”.

As chavellers become more likely to indulge in extensive travelling, it seems their middle class counterparts are becoming less and less likely to have a Gap Year.

The report was unveiled at the World Travel Market conference last week and went on to reveal that the reason middle class youngsters are forgoing their traditional working break between school and higher education is because of fears over spiralling university fees and increased competition for graduate jobs.

“With student debt at an all-time high, graduates also feel unable to justify the time and money for a year out,” said Julian Rolfe, Project Manager within the youth research unit. “Instead, they feel pressure to get on the career ladder and their fear of being usurped by younger or more dedicated rivals persists throughout their twenties.

“This precludes them from buying round-the-world tickets and they are far more likely to settle for a city break or a week in Europe. Indeed, it is only when middle-class youth reach their thirties that they’re at a crossroads in their lives.

“Do they settle down, have children and spend the next 20 years in front of a PC, or do they go for one last fling around the world? If they choose the second option, they are far more likely to head for Chile, Nepal, Mozambique or Brazil – destinations that the ‘chaveller’ has yet to colonise.”

This situation is compounded by the fact that working class youth tend to live with their parents and have no such financial burden and so are far more likely to spend money on extensive travel. They also feel more able to quit their jobs or trades, knowing they can pick up where they left off when they return home.

[Maria28]

No offense to anybody but Cyprus doesn't need any "chavs".

[pumpernickle]

all very well ripping into chavs, but do bear in mind that 'chavs' (whatever that is supposed to denote - if it refers to working class people, then that can be constured as snobbery...) came to Cyprus for the music scene and club life.

Yes, this has died away, but these tourists despite what you say about them brought wallets full of cash and a drunken disposition towards spending...now they no longer come, and the notion that they automatically will be replaced by this mythical, magical army of 'higher class' wealthy tourists is a joke.

What is there to offer them? Nothing has been upgraded or improved or modernised in all these years that tourism has been the big earner. The state of hotels, restaurants and facilities are a JOKE compared to other countries like Spain and Greece. Why would middle class tourists come back, when they clearly have decided (ten years ago) that you can get the same stuff for a fraction of the price at other destinations...like Turkey

Other hot countries that cater for toursists offer alluring things for holiday makers in this bracket, and they do not charge inappropriate ITALIAN PRICES for the same deal.

Handy hint to bring in 'non chavvy' rich tourists...
a) improve shit
b) get real on the pricing. Larnaca can never be Milan, Protaras can never be a Florence, Paphos will never achieve the interest of a Barcelona or a Rome...so there is no excuse for artifically held up costs.

There is no guarantee that the gravy train will carry on forever, the golden calf has to be earned and worked for, and that means being clever about things.

[Sotos]

It seems that pumpernickle got offended for insulting his kind

[Mikros]

Sorry Sotos but I'll agree with the pal above!

[Sotos]

OK. But I have not seen many of them with "wallets full of cash". Several of them live in one cheap apartment and they have to work in Cyprus if they want extended vacations.

[GIz33k0]

to me, chav's who visit cyprus have either gotten a very good deal, and not come to cyprus because they want to but because it was cheap , and also i've seen many on the plane, when im going to and from cyrpus and they very scruffy, they give cyprus a bad image and make it look like a day down in cornwall.

[Christo]

Got to agree with pump'

When I first came to live in Cyprus and applied for my citizenship, (which although I am Cypriot, I was born in U.K. and needed the I.D.). I was told that if I had a job it would help things along. I took a job in an Hotel in Ayia Napa.

The horror stories I heard from "Chavs" where unbelievable..........

One guy told me of a time he bought an ice cream from a roadside kiosk thingy, apart from being ridiculous in price, when he asked for a serviette to mop up the now melting ice cream, he was charged, now wait for this.........he was charged an extra 10cents for it!!!

Another guy told me of a fantastic bottle of wine he had bought from a kiosk and it only cost him £1.95. He went back the next day for another bottle, the price had gone up to....£4.95!!!!

Just a couple of examples. So bacically we Cypriots with our greed are doing a good job on our own of driving away the tourist.

Chris

[Main_Source]

Ayia Napa is quite over priced.

but the less Chav scum in cyprus...the kind that think its cool to have a pierced nipple and hang the union jack from their balconies...the better.

[sk]

pumperniclke is more or less right....something must be done to get more tourists.......big projects that are being developed in other countries cannot take place in cyprus bc of limited goverment budget,but improvements in quality can be done . a lot of places are simply very touristic which is not a good thing,the local character is lost. there is also the lack of choice is several occasions. improvements in this have taken place (new golf clubs ,small regional museums etc) but more things can be done.
oh..and i hate overpricing....its so common in ayia napa/protaras.......several times i prefer to stay in nicosia during summer bc it is simply cheaper and has a bigger choice of cafeterias and restaurants