Thousands of hotel workers in the free area of Famagusta district are on tenterhooks as the military flare-up in the Middle East deals a heavy blow to the region’s tourism.
Booking cancellations for March and April continue to surge, forcing many hotels to start the season with significantly reduced staff. The picture is alarming: several establishments are deliberately delaying their opening, while others operate with skeleton shifts.
The hotel workers’ union PASYXE is trying to persuade the government to extend unemployment benefits to employees who cannot be hired immediately — at least until the end of April.
The situation is considered particularly critical for Ayia Napa, Paralimni, and Protaras — towns whose economies depend almost entirely on tourism. Uncertainty surrounding geopolitical developments is keeping both hoteliers and workers in suspense, with fears that this season could prove the worst in recent years.
