According to Halkin Sesi, a Turkish Cypriot daily, the number of visitors to northern Cyprus have continued to dwindle at an alarming rate, despite the authorities’ best efforts.
According to Fikri Ataoglu, Turkish Cypriot ‘minister of tourism’, the main reason for this is the reluctance of foreign tourist to have to travel via Turkey.
Mr. Ataoglu revealed that hotel occupancy in Turkish Cyprus from 72 per cent (for June, July and August) in 2017 to 63 per cent in 2018. He expressed their further attempt to help bridge this this gap, which includes a tour of Scandinavian countries, emphasizing on the fact that they could help raise the occupancy rate to over 80 per cent.
Other plans include creating the underwater museum in northern Famagusta and turning Vokolida village into an amusement center, along with introducing ferry services to tourists are discouraged to visit the north due to transport problems. Said ferry services will run between Famagusta and Vokolida will make some remote area hotels more accessible.