Those involved in the tourism industry in the occupied territories believe that the Ukrainian crisis offers an opportunity for Russian tourists to go to occupied Cyprus and call on Turkey to intervene for the benefit of this development, according to a report in the Turkish newspaper Aydinlik today.
According to GMP, the publication said that every year, more than 40 million Russian tourists prefer other countries for their holidays. The number of Russian tourists going to countries that have closed their airspace now is at least 17 million. Tourism professionals in the pseudo-state, it is added, want Turkey to take advantage of this opportunity and start flights from Russia to the illegal airport of Tympu.
In statements to the newspaper, Orhan Toloun, president of the Association of Travel Agents in the Occupied Territories ("KITSAB"), after the announcement of the closure of Cyprus' airspace and the reactions of the Russian ambassador and Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar, said that if the Republic of Turkey seizes this opportunity "and gives us the chance to allow Russian planes to land in Northern Cyprus, it will be great for us. Under normal circumstances, Russian tourists do not come to Northern Cyprus through Ercan airport. Since the Russians and Greeks had a close relationship because of their Orthodoxy, they did not want Ertian to be used in the North. We also met several times with the Russians (tour operators). What they told us was to use Larnaca."
Of course, such an attitude of the Greek Cypriots and the closure of their airspace to Russian planes according to EU decisions will increase the demand for Turkey, he added. "In fact, our biggest competitor in tourism is Turkey. When Turkey is full, they (Russian tourists) can only come to us if there is an abundance of tourists. Because transportation to us is very expensive. But if the Republic of Turkey seizes this opportunity and gives us the chance to allow Russian planes to land in Northern Cyprus, it will be great for us."
"I think the Turkish Foreign Ministry can manage to turn this into an opportunity for us. If the Turkish Foreign Ministry allows chartered or regular aircraft from Russia to come to Cyprus with direct landing in Ercan or Antalya, it will be a very important gain for us."
He also added that there are steps that can be taken regarding sea tourism and that Russian boats and yachts can use the ports in the occupied territories.
Source: CNA
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