Cyprus welcomes British tourists
From 1 May 2021, Cyprus welcomes back British tourists.
Sounds too good to be true? Unfortunately yes, it is too good to be true, Cyprus tourist industry once again massive fail.
British tourists cannot travel, cannot travel on 1 May 2021, to do so would be to break the law with a fine of £10,000 and ten years in prison, quarantine on return to the UK (in Scotland mandatory hotel quarantine), plus three coronavirus tests.
Once again massive fail Cyprus tourist industry.
We welcome British tourists from 1 May if have had two coronavirus vaccinations.
It would be illegal for anyone to travel from UK to Cyprus from 1 May 2021, face ten years in prison, £10,000 fine, on return would have to go into quarantine. UK government has repeatedly warned not to book overseas holidays for the summer. From Monday, anyone leaving the UK will have to complete a form stating their reasons for leaving. Failure to complete the form, £200 fine.
Once again lost opportunity over the winter necessary structural changes to Cyprus tourism industry:
- ban all-inclusive hotels
- restrict tour companies to less than 20% of bookings
- no tour operator more than 10%
- tour companies settle bill at end of each month
- encourage long term stay
- encourage direct bookings
The focus should be on fewer tourists, quality tourists, who stay longer.
The tour companies have a stranglehold, rip off travellers and hotels, bring in the dregs of the tourist industry, all-inclusive hotels killing local economies.
If thinking of visiting Cyprus, leave to last minute, contact hotel and negotiate a good deal for long stay. Make booking very provisional. If forced to cancel, have the courtesy to let the hotel know.
Do not book through a tour company, they are selling holidays that do not exist, then problem obtaining refund. Do not accept worthless vouchers. Tui has massive debts. Airlines have to refund within 7 days, package holidays within 14 days.
In Cyprus, required to wear mask everywhere, all the time. 300 euro fine if in breach of coronavirus regulations.
Check with hotel coronavirus precautions. Some are very good, others are very poor. For example sunbeds packed too close together.
The situation is very volatile. Last year, a mad panic by the few remaining British tourists, when Cyprus was placed on UK quarantine list, profiteering by airlines.
You may have been vaccinated, two doses of vaccine not one, should still take precautions, social distance, wear a mask, avoid crowded noisy bars, if eat out, sit outside. There is now a rise in cases in England due to failure to follow coronavirus rules.
In the UK, over 21 million have received their first coronavirus vaccine, 40% of the adult population.
Only a tiny percentage of Cypriots have received their first vaccine. Are they to guarantee, only those vaccinated will be employed in coffee shops, restaurants, hotels? Bars should not be open.
Premature, inviting tourists into a country when locals will not have been vaccinated. Puts locals and tourists at risk.
There should be no tourists until the end of season. Random screening of arrivals, temperature scanning of all arrivals.
Cyprus is currently in lockdown. Any relaxation should be slowly slowly, with pause and monitoring at each stage, with local lockdowns if necessary.
Last year, Limassol saw a sharp rise in cases, night time curfew imposed, and yet it was permitted to travel from Limassol to other parts of the island.
The EU has been slow to roll out vaccination programmes, lagging a long way behind UK.
UK has lax border controls, enabling Brazilian and South African mutations to enter the UK. Restrictions on travel into the UK from Portugal are circumvented by crossing the border into Spain and traveling to the UK via Spain.
Spain, Greece and Cyprus are in a race to the bottom to attract tourists. No lessons learnt from last year. By summer, we will again see a surge in coronavirus cases.
