Why are people amazed that tourism is down in TRNC?

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
08/07/2009 09:53

Why are people amazed that tourism is down in TRNC? Consider this about a 14-days holiday (rough calculation): a flight v.v. Amsterdam-Istanbul-Ercan: 400-500 Euro, a villa 400-700 Euro/week, a car 20-25 Sterling/day: 1480-2250 Euro. For a family of four... well, you don't need my calculation, I suppose... Food, drinks, beaches etc etc.

Is it much different from the UK?

Compare this with the offers in Turkey, Spain and even Florida..!

Why then would a family of four to six people come to TRNC?!

Yes, OK, to visit the grandparents.

But do you know one more reason..?

mmmmmm



Joined: 19/12/2008
Posts: 8398

Message Posted:
08/07/2009 10:07

To come and visit you, Dear Hans ;)

borodave


Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 167

Message Posted:
08/07/2009 10:11

spot on dutch i rent villa with pool for 6 months £400 per month had a friend come over for 1 week had to pay £600per week rip off brits if you drink anything but effes you get ripped 10tl bottle magners 8tl can of guiness 7tl can john smiths sorry guys wont sit in on a night having glass on balcony thats only when i get in around 1 o clock

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
08/07/2009 10:20

RE msg 2, 6xm: Read again (not your strongest point, I know, you type faster than you think , dear 6xm. About "the grandparents".

No1Doyen


Joined: 04/07/2008
Posts: 16617

Message Posted:
08/07/2009 10:33

Hans. Mainland Turkey is a better bet for tourists. Some great package deals available on the web. As for Spain - not for me thanks. However Florida - almost certainly, but not as cheap as it used to be.

sporty


Joined: 06/12/2007
Posts: 685

Message Posted:
08/07/2009 10:35

we was over about 6 wks ago,3 bed villa 300pounds for the week,massive pool,car 17pounds a day with 2 drivers,eating out everyday,we never cooked once,ate at local restaurants/cafes,great holiday and cheap as chips as its not in eurozone! i beg to differ! Try Barbados and some of the carribean,beautiful part of the world i agree,a lot of poverty there,much housing etc bordering slums,and boy do you pay a fortune for it and you get ripped off everywhere!

Pearlbayer


Joined: 06/10/2008
Posts: 204

Message Posted:
08/07/2009 10:40

Manchester Larnaca £ 150 Taxi Larnaca Girne £35. Car £17 a day Villa £250 a week(Communal pool)



Cheaper from UK Hans

cronos


Joined: 26/10/2008
Posts: 2093

Message Posted:
08/07/2009 10:46

"Yes, OK, to visit the grandparents"



That was funny Hans....and very subtle too !

Brinsley


Joined: 04/04/2009
Posts: 6858

Message Posted:
08/07/2009 11:07

Hans



Are you really that old?



Richard

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
08/07/2009 11:15

RE msg 7, Pearlbayer > Manchester Larnaca £ 150 Taxi Larnaca Girne £35. Car £17 a day Villa £250 a week (Communal pool) <



=> Manchester <-> Larnaca only 150 Sterling (ca 180 Euro)?! In this time of the year? That is cheap - and it looks like an even longer distance than Amsterdam-Istanbul-Ercan.

=> Taxi: I'm told most people pay a licensed TRNC taxi driver at least 50 Sterling for Larnaca->Girne...

=> Interested to know: where is this villa and how did you find it? If you don't want to tell all of us: mail me (see profile).



Addition: a (so-called) 6-persons bungalow in a holiday village in Alsancak: 480 Sterling/week. Is that competitive?

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
08/07/2009 11:18

Re msg 9, Brinsley >Are you really that old? <



=> Yes, i know, Richard, I look much younger than my 93 years. The real problem with your question is that you'll never become as old as you look...

Pearlbayer


Joined: 06/10/2008
Posts: 204

Message Posted:
08/07/2009 11:43

Sent you e mail Hans

Brinsley


Joined: 04/04/2009
Posts: 6858

Message Posted:
08/07/2009 11:45

Hans



If you are suggesting that I suffer from 'Six Form Sense Of Humour Syndrome' You are absolutely correct!



Richard

mmmmmm



Joined: 19/12/2008
Posts: 8398

Message Posted:
08/07/2009 12:18

Dear Hans,



re msg 2



Are you my Grandfather, too ? ;)

ROBnJO


Joined: 30/06/2008
Posts: 1289

Message Posted:
08/07/2009 12:52

Do we really want NC to end up like SC?





Keep it a quiet Med treasure I say!





Rob

mmmmmm



Joined: 19/12/2008
Posts: 8398

Message Posted:
08/07/2009 12:54

Dear RobnJo



re msg 16



>>Keep it a quiet Med treasure I say! <<



Surreality rules , ok ? ;)

ROBnJO


Joined: 30/06/2008
Posts: 1289

Message Posted:
08/07/2009 13:03

m&m's



If SC is 'reality',...





it's a definite YES!

mmmmmm



Joined: 19/12/2008
Posts: 8398

Message Posted:
08/07/2009 13:48

Dear ROBnJO



re msg 18



Nah, it's kinda surreal, too...



Funny thing it the approach to Kyrenia/ Girne is more and more akin to coming down the Troodos into Limas(s)ol - except that the bypasses are finished ;)

MarkVPiazza


Joined: 14/08/2008
Posts: 530

Message Posted:
08/07/2009 13:49

Dutch



I know the TRNC is much more expensive than a few years ago, however everywhere else in the world seems to be the same, if not worse.



I think 2007 was probably the "richest" we will ever be - for the foreseeable future, incomes will be static or fall, while prices continue to rise



Mark

ROBnJO


Joined: 30/06/2008
Posts: 1289

Message Posted:
08/07/2009 13:55

Mark



Do you really want to see NC go the same way SC has gone over the last 20 years?

ROBnJO


Joined: 30/06/2008
Posts: 1289

Message Posted:
08/07/2009 13:57

sorry,.. that was to MMMMMM, not MarkVP





Rob

phylray



Joined: 21/09/2007
Posts: 1727

Message Posted:
08/07/2009 22:05

There's truth in what you say, Hans - we don't all live in London or Manchester

and I would love my grandkids to come out but they are too young to come alone

and my son can get a package to Spain for much less. I do not charge anything like

what you suggest for my lovely penthouse though, and am choosy about who I let to!

joandjelly


Joined: 24/02/2008
Posts: 2953

Message Posted:
08/07/2009 22:50

How much would you pay for a private villa with pool in any of the locations mentioned in message 1? I have had some really cheap package holidays here (e.g. £239 for 2 weeks in July at Green Coast, in the past admittedly) and I have also paid a lot of money to rent a decent 3 bed villa in Andalusia (for example). Horses for courses.

chick


Joined: 02/07/2008
Posts: 323

Message Posted:
08/07/2009 23:35

Jesus Joanjelly you are going back sometime "239" for 2 wks, the airfare is more than that now.

I have been checking flights this week for end September/ October this is what has come up



Stanstead to Ercan x2

Pegasus £530

CTA £452

Turkish £395

Package Anatolian Sky £1570

westender


Joined: 14/05/2009
Posts: 328

Message Posted:
08/07/2009 23:38

We used to holiday at the Green Coast too! Don't think you would like it there now! The lovely pool is green, the restaurant's out of use and there were a lot of studenty types wandering around (I haven't got anything against students - used to be one myself).

littlejohn


Joined: 09/03/2009
Posts: 316

Message Posted:
08/07/2009 23:39

Many Ms - message 19 - you are so right !! But I suppose that is "progress" although many ex-pats seem to want everywhere to be to their liking - which will eventually spoil the very nature of this part of the island.

Anyone who pays the exorbitant asking price for villa rentals in nuts! Negotiate !! I'm sure many owners would rather have a lower rental and some income than none at all!!

Brinsley


Joined: 04/04/2009
Posts: 6858

Message Posted:
08/07/2009 23:42

This thread no fun without Hans' witty retorts!



Richard

chick


Joined: 02/07/2008
Posts: 323

Message Posted:
08/07/2009 23:47

Msg26

Went up there in May to have a look round and it is completly shut now, though there did seem to be a lot of children riding about there.

joandjelly


Joined: 24/02/2008
Posts: 2953

Message Posted:
09/07/2009 00:04

The point I was trying to make was that you can often get really cheap packages especially if travelling last minute and not being too fussy about where you stay but the scenario in message 1 was booking flights and accommodation (in this case a private villa with pool) separately. It is generally more expensive doing it this way. I know that Green Coast is now closed it was just an example and even at that time it was cheaper than booking flight only.

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
09/07/2009 00:13

RE msg 30, joanandjelly: whole message <



=> Dear joanandjelly: NO-ONE in Westen Europe (except, of course, the UK, but who cares in the EU with ca 800.000 million people about this tiny arrogant island? will even THINK about going holidaying in Northern Cyprus -unless you have a very good reason. Question in msg 1 remains to be answered.

phylray



Joined: 21/09/2007
Posts: 1727

Message Posted:
09/07/2009 00:50

My nephew and family flew in from Germany last year, stayed a month, and are back

again this Sept. from Switzerland. They absolutely love it. Apparently the Russians like it too, and so on..

CyprusChill


Joined: 08/05/2009
Posts: 666

Message Posted:
09/07/2009 03:48

Height of season booking - School holidays - August £199. Luton to Laranaca.



Family of five, the Lira still shines bright.



Great holidays without any complaint.



Similar expense in Cornwall or Norfolk and the rain .. no thanks.

fire starter


Joined: 19/06/2008
Posts: 3401

Message Posted:
09/07/2009 12:25

once the tourist has been here, served crap food in the harbour,been riped off, stayed in a expensive grotty hotel with bad service, seen rubbish and stray dogs everywhere, what do you think they say about it here to their friends ?



the tc's are just living for today, they don't care about tomorrow.



then they wonder why people are not coming,lol.

flightholiday


Joined: 19/07/2007
Posts: 3217

Message Posted:
09/07/2009 13:04

F S Msg 34



Why so negative? - many tourists love North Cyprus and go across often - some people have homes there.



You might be looking at it with jadded (British?) eyes if so your personal view is understood.



It is a different environment and the local standards in much of the world probably are not what you want or are accustomed to.



Most of the people are lovely, the food is great (if you like local) some of the sights are "to die for" it may not be a cheap destination but neither is it an "Aya Napa" or "Ibiza".



If you only calculate the tourists (mainly summer trade) you will find the flight availability is restricted as the swallows, visitors booking villas* and people with family living in the TRNC are taking many of the seats on most flights.



* Villa bookings are not part of the tourism industry in general as they cannot easily be monitored so true tourism figures come from hotel nights. (Not flight seats booked.)

ROBnJO


Joined: 30/06/2008
Posts: 1289

Message Posted:
09/07/2009 13:58

fs



We have had many excellent meals, at very good prices in NC.

We have stayed in Hotels who give fantastic hospitality with the staff being incredibly friendly and welcoming.



There's less rubbish than in the UK and the beaches, at times lacking in refuse removal, are in fact cleaner than British Beaches. There is no 'dumping' of thousands of tons of raw effluent as most of the island is on septic tanks.



Did you know that last week in London 10's of 1000's of fish were killed after raw sewage was dumped in the Thames?



Actually haven't seen many stray dogs, maybe a few goats or sheep, nothing more than you get on the M25.



The food is excellent, I agree you will always get ripped off in the Harbour, as you will in Covent Garden, St Marks Square, in Paris, Rome Or NY etc. That's a fact of life.



Every trader in the world has to live for 'today'.



Why are you so bitter?



Rob

Woodspeckie


Joined: 25/01/2009
Posts: 2263

Message Posted:
09/07/2009 14:16

Msg 34 . "wonder why people are not coming" why are you staying?

chick


Joined: 02/07/2008
Posts: 323

Message Posted:
09/07/2009 16:00

Msg 37



A very good question to ask, she is one bitter person when she cant get her own way.



Have been coming to NC for over 20 yrs and have NEVER yet stayed in a grotty hotel, admit some have been better than others but always clean and welcoming.

She should have come here 20yrs ago for stray dogs, thanks to Kar it is nothing now to what it was

flightholiday


Joined: 19/07/2007
Posts: 3217

Message Posted:
09/07/2009 16:05

BTW



For those of you who have not heard there is a recession and tourism is down worldwide.



It is affecting TRNC just like the rest.

RickF64


Joined: 07/01/2009
Posts: 173

Message Posted:
09/07/2009 16:14

You can tell it's the TRNC tourist season, just try walking down the Girne High Street passed Socrates Hotel.......you'll be lucky if you don't get a sprained ankle or choked from the dust of the 'improvements' work. Every year the same thing! The businesses in town must be fed up too.

I suppose it will look wonderful when it's finished, if they don't run out of money first.

Planning? What planning?

HAPPY FEET


Joined: 18/07/2008
Posts: 416

Message Posted:
09/07/2009 16:31

It's certainly much cheaper than where we normally take a vacation /Barbados /Cuba /Cape Verde, these destinations have doubled in price.



North Cyprus is probably one of the best places to go from the UK value for money at the moment..

HildySmith


Joined: 02/07/2009
Posts: 1708

Message Posted:
09/07/2009 22:11

Went to harbour one night, charged £10 for 2 brandy & Diet Cokes. Left immediately and won't go back. When we asked why they did this they said that there was no one coming in so they had to put the prices up to make money EH!!!!!

Can't they see it has the opposite effect.

Also been conned by a harbour restaurant - ordered food from the menu but the bill did not total what was ordered - tourists are not stupid they will go elsewhere and that would be a shame as TRNC is a beautiful place and the TC's are very friendly = Pity about the Sharks! - harbour bar owners, builders, advocats.

Woodspeckie


Joined: 25/01/2009
Posts: 2263

Message Posted:
09/07/2009 22:15

Like this government we have in the UK not as many people getting new passports so they put the price up by £5.50.

pilgrim



Joined: 11/05/2007
Posts: 1404

Message Posted:
09/07/2009 22:22

More lights at night in local Villas this year than since 2005/2006. taxis very busy with transfers to. not all bad news.

Hector


Joined: 26/08/2008
Posts: 2352

Message Posted:
09/07/2009 23:09

When, oh when, will the TRNC government, hoteliers, restaraunts, casinos and others who have an interest in getting tourists to visit NC, get together and come up with a joined up strategy? The whole island economy relies on tourism and the north in particular. If they all had a decent plan to work to, the north could attract new tourists in droves. Has anyone seen a plan by the Tourism minister for example? Does he have any tourism background?



Articles in Cyprus Today showing the piles of litter that has to be cleared by volunteers off Turtle beach yet the belideyse & others argue over who is responsible to collect it! Litter elsewhere, huge ugly billboards on the main roads, municiple tips on fire and sending toxic fumes into the atmosphere, uncompleted roads etc etc etc.



The internet provides instant feedback around the world, good or bad these days. The days of simple word of mouth are long gone. The terrible experience of property buyers doesn't help either.

phylray



Joined: 21/09/2007
Posts: 1727

Message Posted:
10/07/2009 15:20

It seems all holiday places are feeling the pinch of the recession.

Just back from hairdresser whose daughters & families live in the

Costa Del Sol and they say it is dire. Very quiet, few bookings,

unemployment - they may have to come back

HildySmith


Joined: 02/07/2009
Posts: 1708

Message Posted:
10/07/2009 15:52

I had a fab time ion Costa Del Sol last month. We could not change our room as the hotel was full. We have been there many times and always pick up bargains-no different this time. My husband was complaining (we went for a long week-end-4 full days and only took hand luggage) that we would need to buy a suitcase to take home. I bought clothes, shoes, sandels, childrens caps, jewellery, watch. We stayed in Torromolins and visited Benalmadena - both were buzzing with tourists. Some of the touristy bars are expensive (like Kyrenia Harbour-they know what we pay over here and charge the same. We drink in local spanish bars (where the Spaniards drink) and the prices were very good, meals were cheap. They should: - Reduce their prices

- Advertise that they have and may EVERYONE welcome.

HildySmith


Joined: 02/07/2009
Posts: 1708

Message Posted:
10/07/2009 15:55

Cont.......

I visited Sam's Place (TRNC)t wice this year. The 1st time Sam's wife had had an accident and they were in Turkey. We had a great time with locals and Brits and vowed to go back.

We went back in March and had a drink there. There were locals and brits in - no one even acknowledged that were were present - staff or customers. We were served by an elderly lady who never made eye contact at all whilst serving the drinks. When she spoke it was to other staff and people - not us as customers.

Hence no eye contact - no acknowledgement - no conversation - we left and won't be going back (pity cos it is just down the road from cousin's villa.

HildySmith


Joined: 02/07/2009
Posts: 1708

Message Posted:
10/07/2009 16:01

The moral of the story is

Treat your customers right and they will come back.

I have taught customers service for 20 years and when I receive bad customer service I do not go back - it costs nothing to speak to people - just a greeting will to make them feel welcome.

- If you give good customer service customers will come back.

- If you give bad customer service this leads to customers telling everyone about their bad experiences and lots of customers are lost and you cannot get them back.

This is a lesson that a lot of TRNC government officials, advocates and builders need to consider

girne 29


Joined: 06/12/2007
Posts: 1488

Message Posted:
10/07/2009 16:36

Hector mess 45.



spot on, realism.

We can say its unspoilt with no litter,ripoffs etc till we are blue in the face,but its the word of mouth by tourists that really counts. Said it before, get the professionals in from Turkeys tourist board. Its to late to revert back to unspoilt, just look round Esentepe,putting that in a brochure is akin to lying and nobody likes being lied to .Shift to different holiday types is required, more emphasis on entertainment for younger families.

HildySmith


Joined: 02/07/2009
Posts: 1708

Message Posted:
10/07/2009 17:28

Right on! Girne 29 When visiting last year we found the facilities were good. A good communal swimming pool and good local bars nearby we had a great time (without being a nuisance to other customers) We had a villa in Buffavento with a good pool for the boys and visited lots of places. We visited the Happy Valley (Riaz's Irish bar) with the boys and took mini DVDs so they could play or watch a DVD and not be a nuisance. We found the aqua park in Lapta - it was excellent! Excellent service, Excellent facilities, reasonable cost for a family and very well equiped. As a result of this we (3 generations) spent the day there and had a fabulous time. The equipment catered for all ages and suited the 3 generations. A say we have in Training circles: give the customer what he expects is not good customers service, it is what he expects. Give the customer over and above what he expects is 'GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE' When served a drink in Kyrenia we were given crisps=GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE

fire starter


Joined: 19/06/2008
Posts: 3401

Message Posted:
10/07/2009 21:11

i'm not being negative, just honest. when i meet people who are holidaying here, they do say what they think.



for me i stay because i like it, but lets face it i'm not a tourist.



i live with tc's and understand the culture, but that culture does have some funny ways at times, which tourist don't like. for example turtle beach is strewn with litter after the weekend because the local custom is not to pick up their litter after them. how many tourist do you know who want to sit in someone else's rubbish?



lettting dogs roam unattended may be a local custom, but how many tourist feel threatened by a dog off the lead?



just points that the trnc needs to address.

Hector


Joined: 26/08/2008
Posts: 2352

Message Posted:
10/07/2009 21:43

Unfortunately 'need to address' and 'problem solving' don't appear to be that high up on the TRNC agenda.