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Cyprus targets 2 million tourists this season

Ataoğlu made evaluations to the AA correspondent about the start of the summer period in TRNC tourism. Explaining that they are working in many cities to diversify the places that tourists will visit throughout the country, Ataoğlu said that they carry out advertising activities in Turkey, Russia, England and Germany. Ataoğlu stated that the agencies carry out activities to bring tourists to the TRNC and pointed out that they expect these activities to make a positive contribution to the number of tourists coming to the country. Pointing out that tourism has an important place in the TRNC economy, Ataoğlu reminded that during the Kovid-19 epidemic, the number of tourists visiting the TRNC decreased, as in the whole world. Ataoğlu continued: "Our expectation in the number of tourists is above the previous years. We have set a target of over 2 million for this year and we are working towards this target. All our efforts are about to realize the target we have set. We are now entering the summer period, during this period tourists have serious demands for the TRNC. The occupancy rates of our hotels are promising." Emphasizing that the number of beds and facilities is limited despite the increasing number of tourists, Ataoğlu noted that correspondence was made with the relevant ministries for the construction of new hotels in the tourism regions of the country in order to increase the number of existing beds, and that the Ministry is also carrying out serious studies on this issue. "The new airport will increase the number of tourists" Stating that the new terminal building and runway of Ercan Airport will make a great contribution to tourism when it is put into service, Ataoğlu said, "The new airport will increase the number of tourists. Tourism will revive even more with the increase in the number of flights and the arrival of new airline companies to Ercan." Underlining that they attach special importance to tourists coming from Turkey, Ataoğlu said, "We are waiting for our brothers from Turkey to the TRNC."

Ancient Kyrenia Harbor in TRNC will be restored

Ataoğlu said about the works at the Ancient Port of Kyrenia, which is one of the important restoration projects of the TRNC, that no repair and renovation activities have been carried out in the port since 1974. Explaining that the restoration and renovation project at the Ancient Harbor of Kyrenia started on December 1, 2022 and consists of 4 stages, the first 3 stages of which cover the works on land and the 4th stage includes the works at sea, Ataoğlu used the following statements: "With the works to be completed at the end of June, the Ancient Harbor of Kyrenia will become a favorite of TRNC tourism. There was only a 2-3 week deviation from the completion of the project, both due to the emergence of additional works and factors such as historical rails that were found during the excavations. When the project is completed, Kyrenia Antique Harbor with its remarkable old texture will be opened to TRNC tourism." Ataoğlu said that it has been expected for 50 years for the historical port to regain its old texture and stated that with the completion of the first 3 phases of the project at the end of June, the work on the 4th phase, which includes the arrangements on the sea, will begin. "Kyrenia Ancient Harbor will return to its old days" Regarding the stages of the Girne Antique Marina restoration and renovation project, Ataoğlu said: "The first phase of the project included the restoration of the historical customs building in the port, cleaning the walls inside and grouting. The second phase includes the ground, water, sewerage and technical infrastructure works and we carried out this with the Municipality of Kyrenia. The third phase aims to make the facades of the buildings look monolithic. When these are completed, the ancient harbor of Kyrenia will return to its old days. The 4th stage of the project to be started in the future includes the arrangement of the sea, the acquisition of historical assets and the arrangement of the pier."

TRNC's target is more than 2 million tourists

Fikri Ataoğlu, Deputy Prime Minister of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), Minister of Tourism, Culture, Youth and Environment, answered the questions of the AA correspondent at the International Tourism Exchange (ITB) Fair held in Berlin, the capital of Germany. Explaining that they participated in the ITB Fair again 3 years after the Covid-19 epidemic, Ataoğlu stated that they wanted to show the historical richness, natural beauties and the existence of many alternative tourism models in the TRNC. Expressing that they have overcome the Covid-19 period positively in the field of tourism in the TRNC, Ataoğlu said that they reached the number of tourists in 2019 in 2022. Ataoğlu said, "But our main goal in 2023 is to bring more tourists to the country than in 2019 and 2022 and to exceed 2 million if nothing goes wrong again and everything continues as we want." Enrichment of alternative tourism models Ataoğlu stated that the hotels in the TRNC can compete with the existing hotels in the world and that they aim to enrich alternative tourism models in the country. Emphasizing that the hotels in the TRNC are very luxurious, Ataoğlu said, “We always talk proudly that we are in a position to compete with the world. We started to work to increase this even more. We continue to work to enrich alternative tourism models.” Expressing that they aim to increase the number of tourists with the opening of the new airport in a few months, Ataoğlu stated that in recent days, Turkey's Ministry of Culture and Tourism and various channels of Germany, Russia, England and Turkey have been working on advertisements promoting the TRNC, and that they have received serious feedback. Emphasizing that many German tourists come to the TRNC, Ataoğlu said, “This is what we always say; You can see and get to know the TRNC not by telling but by living it. Tourism in TRNC is sustainable Minister Ataoğlu stated that they are assertive in the field of tourism and they do whatever needs to be done for this and continued as follows: "The new airport? Yes, we are doing it, it is almost finished. New alternative tourism models? Yes, they will also take action in the coming days. When we say alternative tourism models, we mean that hotels on the one hand, health tourism on the one hand, golf courses, sports tourism, football on the one hand. "Our intention is to build the infrastructure of many similar events, where the dynamic sector can come, and to bring them (tourists) to our country after this infrastructure (works) after that. We continue our work. It is very productive." Pointing out that those who come to TRNC as tourists have started to buy housing, Ataoğlu said, “Now, tourism is at a sustainable level for us. Because Northern Cyprus is very little affected by all the negativities, the negativities that the world and some countries have gone through. If this is the case and if it is a safe country, then everyone should come to the TRNC. This is already happening.” Ataoğlu concluded his words as follows: "In our country, we started to bring these tourists on time out here, and then when we increased the 1-week stay to 2 weeks, it gave birth to different things. What things? To the tourists who came there to own housing there. Many foreign tourists started to buy housing when they came to the country. Of course, it is important to buy housing. Now they become permanent tourists there. When you buy a house, when your house is empty there, you rent that house to your acquaintances, your spouse, your friend, your friends. Therefore, that house of yours is also included in the tourism sector. These are also in a predominant position at the moment."

TRNC aims breakthroughs to revive maritime transport with Türkiye

A view of sea port and old town of Kyrenia (Girne) is a city on the North Coast of The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) has reactivated the state-owned Maritime Enterprises Company, which had ceased operations, to revive maritime transport with Türkiye, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Works and Transport Erhan Arıklı said Wednesday. Accordingly, a Ro-Ro ship that will sail between TRNC’s Girne (Kyrenia) and Türkiye’s southern Mersin province was purchased for this purpose, he added. Arıklı told Anadolu Agency (AA) that maritime transport and trade are important for Turkish Cyprus and that they have recently taken initiatives to revive, encourage and diversify maritime transport with Türkiye. He said the Ro-Ro ship will be delivered to the TRNC in around two weeks. “After the interior design is made, it will start the voyage in March,” he said, adding they also consider voyages between Girne and Mersin’s Taşucu port with sea buses envisioned for later. Stating that the sea transportation between Turkish Cyprus and Türkiye’s southern Mersin, Antalya and Hatay provinces is important, Arıklı stated that they will increase the number of companies and sea buses operating on these lines along with the state initiatives. He stated that lines bringing tourists to Türkiye would not be left empty. Emphasizing that they do not want to depend only on airlines in supporting tourism and trade, Arıklı said that the sea bus services of Hatay Metropolitan Municipality between Hatay and Turkish Cyprus will start again in March. “Besides private companies on the line between Mersin and TRNC, the ship of the state company will also be launched.” Terming 2023 as the year of breakthroughs in TRNC's maritime transportation and trade, Arıklı added that as the ministry, they carry out intensive and determined studies in this area.

Cypriots want the closed parts of Varosha to be opened

Varosha or Varosha, the region located in the city of Famagusta. It was the most famous part of Cyprus. Abandoned by its Greek Cypriot population during the 1974 Cyprus Operation, the region remained under military control after the operation, and most of it was closed to settlement and settlement. The Maraş region was administered by the Cyprus Turkish Peace Forces Command, which was directly part of the Turkish Armed Forces, between 1974 and 1990, and was officially declared a first-degree military forbidden zone in 1981. On July 29, 1990, the control of the region was handed over to the TRNC Security Forces Command. A part of the public Democracy Street and the beach part of Maraş, which is within the borders of the TRNC, was opened on 8 October 2020. With the decision of the Council of Ministers, on 12 July 2021, one more region was demilitarized within the scope of the second phase of the Maraş opening, and thus 3.5 percent of Maraş was civilianized. Part of it should be opened and brought into tourism. Cypriot citizens; They stated that opening the closed parts of Maraş, which is still closed, would be a big step for Famagusta in particular and for the whole TRNC in general. They describe keeping the tourism-rich region closed for years as a 'waste of time' and want it to be opened as soon as possible, albeit piecemeal, with the support of Turkey. Citizens, who stated that the full opening of Maraş would contribute greatly to both Famagusta tradesmen and the country's economy, demanded that the properties in Maraş be properly built and opened for development without the owners being victimized. "Maraş should not be on the agenda" Citizens: "Why should a tourism-rich place stay closed? We are two separate states, we are not occupiers. Whether they accept it or not. Foreigners and Greeks can apply to the relevant places and take their properties. With the support of Turkey, the properties in the TRNC State can be dissolved. Property in Maraş "And foreign owners of hotels can live or run hotels here under our government. If the owners don't want to fix it, the state can," they said. Celebrities have houses in Maraş It was known that famous names such as Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, Brigitte Bardot were among the regulars of the region. Famous Italian actress Sophia Loren also had a house in Maraş. Considered the world's first 7-star hotel, Golden Sands Hotel was built here by the British Royal family. Maraş was known as the Las Vegas of the Mediterranean. Source: Kıbrıs Gazetesi

#Cyprus

Cyprus targets 2 million tourists this season

Ancient Kyrenia Harbor in TRNC will be restored

TRNC's target is more than 2 million tourists

TRNC aims breakthroughs to revive maritime transport with Türkiye

Cypriots want the closed parts of Varosha to be opened