The need for the institutionalisation of hostels was discussed today at the Parliamentary Committee on Energy, Commerce, Industry and Tourism.
There are currently 10 hostel units operating nationwide[/B], according to Cyprus Youth Hostel Federation President Ilias Eliades, who added that they have been operating for the past 10 years without a legislative framework. The hostel-type accommodation is for low-income tourism, mainly by youth, backpackers, Erasmus students and digital nomads, he said. It is quality tourism by people interested in visiting museums and nature trails. It does not act in competition with hotels as it is aimed at a different audience. If the choice is not available in Cyprus, they will resort to either the occupied territories or surrounding destinations, he added.
The Deputy Tourism Ministry said it was ready to look into the issue if the need arises. It said that hostels rent beds, not rooms.
As reported by an OEB spokesman, Cyprus is the only EU country not represented in the European Federation for youth hostels, sounding the alarm that if it is not institutionalised, a similar Federation will probably be established in the EU from the Occupied Territories.
The necessity of institutionalization was also supported by the Cyprus Youth Organization, stating that it wishes to cooperate with this type of business, since it supports the low-cost option for temporary accommodation.
The Chairman of the Committee, DISY MP Kyriakos Hatzigiannis said that it is not only a matter of tourism development, but also of social development.
Cyprus has every obligation to provide this facility, it is a social need, especially for a country that has an increased number of students and a huge problem in housing, he added in statements after the end of the meeting.
Asked about the timetable for filing the bill, he replied that instructions have been given for a comparative study on how hostels work within other countries and there will be a draft proposal for a law in a month at the latest.
DIKO MP Chrisis Pantelidis said in a statement that the adoption of such a framework would enrich the tourism market of Cyprus and create the conditions for the development of a healthy, competitive and quality environment in yet another sector of tourism.
Source: CNA
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