Cyprus looks to reboot tourism with strict safety measures

(18 May 2020) LEAD IN:
Hotel managers, nightclub and restaurant owners in Cyprus' popular holiday resort of Ayia Napa say they're in survival mode.
They say nobody expects to make a profit this summer and it's all about staying afloat, as the coronavirus pandemic strikes a blow to the island nation's tourism sector.

STORY-LINE:
The resort town of Ayia Napa in Cyprus is deserted.  
It's a rare sight for the popular beach location, which is usually teeming with tourists this time of year.
While Cyprus enjoyed record numbers of tourist arrivals last year, government officials say the country is estimated to lose about 70 percent of arrivals and with them 2.6 billion euros (approx. $2.8 billion USD) of revenue this year.
That's a huge loss for an economy where tourism directly accounts for 13 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP).
Authorities are still mulling over ways of re-booting the sector in mid-June, when airports are expected to re-open to commercial traffic.
The first trickle of holidaymakers is expected in early July. That's when the 30,000 Cypriots working in tourism-related jobs may get back to work.
There are as yet confirmed plans to screen vacationers for COVID-19 prior to their arrival in Cyprus, according to Christos Angelides, president of Cyprus' Hotel Managers' Association and owner of the Ayia Napa Mermaid hotel.
Strict health and hygiene protocols will be imposed on overseas tourists at all stages of their journey, especially at hotels.
"We're optimistic though that we'll be able to bring back tourists and revive the economy, so we can meet the current challenges and those ahead of us. The economic damage will certainly be significant. I find it hard to think of a hotel that will turn a profit this year," says Angelides.
"What we must do now is - and do so intensively - is to implement social distancing rules and health safety protocols regarding the respiratory system.
"When we serve our customer, from the moment we pick up his suitcase from a taxi or a bus, we will disinfect it, he will walk up to reception, where there will be a plexiglass shield, everything will be done electronically."
Angelides is planning other measures, including room cleaning staff donning protective equipment and enforcing social distancing rules at all hotel restaurants.
"From that point on, all room cleaning procedures will be done with protective equipment, masks, gloves, suits, at least in the initial stages. And in the restaurants, social distancing will be enforced, buffets will be managed carefully, but if the customer so wishes, he can order a separate meal," he says.
Angelides says they will initially look at bringing in vacationers from countries that have been relatively less hard-hit by COVID-19.
"I believe that included in our initial plans will be Israel, Greece, Malta, Switzerland, Austria, Norway, I would say Finland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Germany, which is on a very good trajectory and I believe that unless something drastic happens over the next two months, these will be the countries from which we can receive tourists," he says.
Charalambos Alexandrou says none of his colleagues should harbour any illusions about turning a profit this summer season.
The owner of this usually-busy Irish pub says other business owners in the area understand it's all about scraping by this year.
The country's strict, two-month coronavirus lockdown has kept vacationers away at a time when their establishments should be overflowing with visitors.

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