Nicosia, Cyprus. Cyprus hospitality owners association Osika has urged President Nikos Christodoulides to extend government support measures to the food and catering sector, saying restaurants and similar venues are essential to the island’s tourism offering.
Call for broader tourism support
In a letter to the president, Osika chairman Neophytos Thrasyvoulou said he was concerned and disappointed with the latest package of measures, arguing that support should take a more holistic approach if the tourism sector is to withstand mounting pressure.
Concerns over exclusion of leisure centres
Thrasyvoulou said the package made no provision for leisure centres, despite being “an essential part of the island’s tourism offering.” He added that “leisure centres do not operate separately from hotels and other tourist accommodation, but are part of the wider hospitality experience Cyprus offers visitors.”
Losses and rising pressure on businesses
Osika said the sector has already sustained significant losses and continues to face serious pressure from higher operating costs and shifts in demand. It warned that excluding the sector from the support scheme creates unequal treatment and puts the viability of many businesses at risk.
Request for reconsideration and dialogue
Osika, a member of the employers’ federation Oev, which includes leisure centre associations from Paphos, Famagusta, Ayia Napa, Limassol, Larnaca and Polis Chrysochous, called on the president to reconsider the decision and move quickly with additional measures. The association said it was ready for dialogue and cooperation to find what it described as “fair and effective solutions.”
Do you think leisure centres should be included in Cyprus’s tourism support measures?