New member,researching effects of tourism on relations between TC & GG

Elina


Joined: 23/06/2008
Posts: 5

Message Posted:
23/06/2008 19:57

Hi everyone,

I am new to this forum so hello!



I am a student doing my masters at the moment and my chosen topic is on Cyprus - whether tourism has any effect in bringing the divided island together. I recently went over to Cyprus (i live in London) to do some research and I interviewed both GC and TC who work in the tourism industry but i'd love to hear your first-hand views as residents of the TRNC..

McSteviet



Joined: 11/05/2007
Posts: 1089

Message Posted:
23/06/2008 19:59

Welcome Elina,



I too are in the UK, so I guess I don't count.....



Hope you get the responce you want. I'm sure you will get plenty of replies from the people that live in TRNC full time.



MC

newlad



Joined: 02/03/2008
Posts: 7819

Message Posted:
23/06/2008 21:29

Hi Elina,

Good luck with your research,

Paul.

Turtle


Joined: 28/05/2007
Posts: 2669

Message Posted:
23/06/2008 21:36

It would be very interesting to read your findings, please keep us all informed.

Good luck

wynyardman



Joined: 15/12/2007
Posts: 4580

Message Posted:
24/06/2008 10:46

Hi Elina,



Welcome to the board, and good luck with your research.



By way of background read Pauls thread "so much bad feeling"



Good luck,



wynyardman

cyprusishome


Joined: 31/03/2007
Posts: 2381

Message Posted:
24/06/2008 11:37

When we first decided to move here a colleague of the boss said how dare we go to live in the north.



She had been told all the usual anti TC stuff while on holiday in the south. She was totally disgusted that we would condone such atrocities by living in this dreadful country.



Have friends who actually live in Paphos and when they came over to visit last summer they were amazed at the contrast of what they saw compared to what they had been told.



I think one of the sad aspects of tourism is that coaches come across from the south every day to view the area but TC guides are not allowed on the coaches. You could say that as it is a GC tour that is fair enough but when the tourists on those coaches are just fed GC propoganda that is wrong.



You may ask about coach tours going north to south - they are not allowed!!!!



David

Elina


Joined: 23/06/2008
Posts: 5

Message Posted:
24/06/2008 19:33

Thank you wynyardman, i had read that thread before joining the forum and found it very interesting. However one person mentioned a story written by Kufi Birinci - does anyone know how I can access this?

Elina


Joined: 23/06/2008
Posts: 5

Message Posted:
24/06/2008 19:34

Yes David, i found that very interesting that TC coaches are not allowed in the South.. when I was over in the North interviewing a TC travel agent he explained that the reason for this is because back in the late 90s the South decided to re-examine all the bus drivers and the buses and add new regulations, but the TC refused to take their buses to the South for them to be examined because they felt that if the TRNC is not recognised, then they cannot recognise the South.



So it seems that this issue of lack of recognition has a backlash of problems for both sides. The fact that TC are not allowed on the GC buses in order to guide their side of the country is of great concern because it can increase the bias nature.



I would be interested to know people's opinions on whether the tourism boards should integrate so that there is one head tourism organisation for the whole of Cyprus...?

Nunu1


Joined: 31/03/2008
Posts: 536

Message Posted:
24/06/2008 19:46

Hi Elina, Welcome to the forum. I dont live in the TRNC yet, But I will be moving over in the next 6-8 weeks. If only people in the World knew how nice North Cyprus is, the people, the scenery the food etc and not listen to ill informed GC.



I always remember as a boy holidaying in South Cyprus and was told by a GC they have the best beaches in the North! He was right! I think a lot of GC are jealous if the truth be known.



I hope tourism continues to flourish in NC, but pray that it never gets like Aya napa or poxy Marbella or Benidorm with kiss me quick hats and lager louts!



nunu

PtePike



Joined: 20/05/2008
Posts: 2334

Message Posted:
24/06/2008 19:48

Elina,



Kufi Birinci's piece is in the back of later editions of the Rough Guide to Cyprus by Marc Dubin. I posted it in full on other BBs a year or so back so you may find a link. In summary he recounts being press-ganged as a schoolboy into joining a burial party for the Turkish troops who had been killed in action around Kyrenia. Truckload after truckload of decomposing bodies were brought for burial until eventually the youngster managed to run away. He later became a businessman and tourism boss. He now urges TCs to forget the hate and embrace GCs for a shared future. Try sending a PM to member ELKO as he's sure to know someone who had a contact for Birinci.



Good luck with your thesis. I based mine on Cyprus as well, and a rich source of information the place certainly turned out to be.

PtePike



Joined: 20/05/2008
Posts: 2334

Message Posted:
24/06/2008 19:57

Elina,



One tourist authority for the whole of Cyprus? Fantastic idea if the issue of recognition could be overcome somehow. Things like that can lead to peace settlements and unification, given the right conditions. You have chosen a good subject, IMO.

simbas



Joined: 16/07/2007
Posts: 5943

Message Posted:
24/06/2008 20:28

Hi elina , welcome to the forum , hope you get all the information you need to complete your research

good luck , simbas

Elina


Joined: 23/06/2008
Posts: 5

Message Posted:
27/06/2008 14:58

PtePike thank you, very helpful. And thanks everyone for wishing me luck!

Biker



Joined: 11/01/2008
Posts: 396

Message Posted:
27/06/2008 15:18

Elina,



One tourist authority for the whole of Cyprus? And who would be the head of this authority?



Currently the GC are doing everything they can not to let the tourists from the south to cross over to north.



When the agreemnent on all the other outstanding issues are met maybe.

Pipie


Joined: 05/01/2008
Posts: 5499

Message Posted:
27/06/2008 15:48

Welcome Elina . Good luck with everything .

Biker



Joined: 11/01/2008
Posts: 396

Message Posted:
27/06/2008 16:52

Hi Elina

I hope you have a good research on this subject.



Maybe this research will shed some light on why the GC are so against TC having any links to outside world and be forced to live under isolation for so many years.

I can remember a recent incident when a football match between a TC football team and Luton town had to be abondoned because GC could not tolerate it.



It is very sad mentality that GC are the only people living on this island want to rule as they please. They have obviously shown in 2004 referandum that they do not want to negotiate and give equal rights to the people in the North.

As the TC have chosen to live under their own government for the last 34 years they have been subjected to meaningless embargoes.



I actually know Kufi Birinci very well as he was my class mate for 6 years. I am sure his shared future of Cyprus entails actually shared and not under the rule of Greeks.



Biker