Sir,
I have never, in my many years travelling, found it necessary to put pen to paper to complain about the short-sighted greed and opportunism of a small but significant number of people. The people I am referring to are the people who have an involvement in Cyprus’ tourist industry, however vague or remote.
I have never witnessed so much greed and overpricing in my life. Take the example when we went for a drink in a taverna in Tochni and were charged £6 for two brandy sours! Or the occasion when I went with my family to a taverna in another village, where I was served absolutely bland food (how can you ruin a chop and some chips?), cooked in old oil and served on dirty tables. The landlord was amazed when I pointed out my concerns, so concerned that he charged an extortionate amount for each of the single course meals (£10 each!) despite the fact that less than half of each plate had been eaten! Thinking we had just hit unlucky, the following evening we ate in a restaurant nearer Limassol. Again, the meal was sub standard and the cost unbelievably high for what was essentially lamb chops and chips! I cannot recall paying for a truly memorable meal throughout my stay.
Anyway, going away from the food, what about the time we went to a hardware store on the outskirts of Limissol and enquired on the price of a garden strimmer: the assistant quoted a straight £250. The exact same strimmer was for sale in another hardware shop in Limassol for £165! Greed or what? The same occurred in many of the ‘tourist’ shops in the old Limassol area, where merchants peddle poor quality and overpriced tack, while the few good quality products we found were overpriced.
Cypriot shopkeepers do not seem to appreciate that if they set their prices right, the customers will return. Deliberate overpricing, opportunism and greed will not work. It is my opinion that these people are directly responsible for damaging Cyprus as a holiday destination.
Whilst waiting to book in for our return flight (another nightmare!) we spoke to many people at the airport and, with hand on heart, we can report that not one of the people we spoke to would ever go back to Cyprus. Even youngsters who had spent 14 days in Ayia Napa said they would never return.
You have priced yourself out of the market Cyprus businesses. The most worrying thing of all this is the fact that people will tell their friends and relatives, who in turn will tell their friends… and the discontent will spiral. So, what’s the solution?
The simple answer is ‘I don’t know’. Perhaps the Tourist department could canvass opinion of departing tourists to identify the concerns, and then do something about it? Perhaps the business community could be less greedy and understand simple economics? Perhaps the word ‘quality’ should be indoctrinated into the ethos? What I do know is that many, many people will not be visiting your beautiful island for many, many years, if ever at all.
Sad, really because you could have been the jewel in the crown for holidays, but have simply blown it through greed.
Bill Taylor, Southport, UK
