Coronavirus: Paphos hoteliers worry about when they will be able to reopen

Paphos hoteliers are worried about when they will be able to reopen and fear their businesses may have to remain closed even into June, they said on Tuesday.

Head of the Paphos branch of the Cyprus Hotels Association (Pasyxe) Thanos Michaelides said the picture is still very “unclear”.

Speaking to the Cyprus News Agency, he said most hoteliers don’t expect to open before June, adding it will depend on when the UK will be able to control the pandemic and therefore allow Britons to travel abroad.

At the same time, he continued, Cyprus has to watch how the Russian market will evolve, which is the second largest, but also smaller ones such as Israel. However, even with the opening of smaller markets such as Israel not all hotels will manage to open.

An important factor for making decisions is a plan regarding part-time and full-time employment which the labour ministry is expected to announce. This is expected to help hoteliers decide how many employees they should hire in proportion to the number of guests once they reopen.

Former head of the local Pasyxe Themis Philippides said he estimated hotels in the Paphos district would remain closed not only in May but also in June, taking into account the situation in countries important to local tourism.

“Due to its dependence on the English market Paphos seems to face a bigger problem,” he said, mentioning the wide spread of the virus in the UK, which is a long way from dealing with the pandemic.

He also commented on changes for the hotel industry, saying hoteliers are preparing to follow new procedures such as hygiene issues.

These concern disinfections of common areas and areas where food is prepared.

“We are in close cooperation with the ministry of tourism to see how they will move regarding an advertising campaign abroad, how to keep customers who have come to Cyprus in the past, but also those who plan to come,” he concluded.

 

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