LOCAL tour operators are considering one-day excursions to the occupied areas under pressure from foreign tour operators, the House Commerce Committee heard yesterday.
The committee discussed the issue of tourism and the repercussions from the recent passing of the EU Green Line regulation, which has paved the way for holidays to the north.
Representative of the association of tour operators, Akis Kelepeshis, said they were looking to organise one-day excursions with buses from the government-controlled areas and Greek Cypriot guides.
Insurance will be covered by the foreign tour operators.
The committee heard that the decision was taken following pressure from foreign tour operators.
The association’s general secretary, Thasos Katsourides, said the foreign operators had started showing interest in the north since the partial removal of movement restrictions in April last year.
According to the hoteliers association, foreign tour operators were currently holding consultations with Greek and Turkish Cypriot hoteliers.
Trade, Tourism and Industry Minister George Lillikas said insurance issues for those travelling in the north was not the responsibility of the state.
“We cannot implement the acquis commuitaire in the occupied areas and of course we cannot force any Cypriot company to offer insurance coverage for travelling in the occupied areas,” Lillikas said.
He said that was an issue for tour operators and individual tourists to resolve.
At the same time DISY, deputy Antonis Karas yesterday proposed the discussion of the potential dangers of uncontrolled tourist development in the occupied areas.
Karas said the recent EU regulation and the government’s policy to end the economic isolation of the occupied areas before resolving the Cyprus problem created reasonable concerns regarding the repercussions to the tourist industry.
The DISY deputy noted that the unsuccessful conclusion of the efforts to reunite the island created the conditions for economic development in the occupied areas with a focus on tourism.
This creates the risk of unfair competition in the sector with unforeseen consequences for the economy, Karas said.
In a related development, DISY deputy chairman Averof Neophytou yesterday said the EU Green Line regulation effectively led to the indirect recognition of ports and airports in the occupied areas.
Neophytou charged that the government has not yet cleared its policy mainly regarding the imposition of fines on EU citizens arriving on the island through illegal points of entry.
The government has repeatedly said that it retained its right to fine tourists crossing from the north who have arrived through illegal ports and airports.
But the government does not seem ready to risk a confrontation with the EU.
