Though just 150 miles from a war zone, holidaymakers in Cyprus feel ‘completely safe’
With its warm, sunny days at this time of year, Cyprus is a firm favourite when it comes to autumn breaks, especially during the fast-approaching UK half-term holiday. This year, however, some are hesitant about coming to the island because of the situation in the Middle East.
When you look at a map, Cyprus seems alarmingly close to the countries involved in the current conflict. Indeed, it is only around 150 miles from the island to Lebanon. Furthermore, in June, the (now deceased) Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah warned that Cyprus could come under attack if it allowed Israel to use its air bases to launch attacks against Hezbollah.
However, Nikos Christodoulides, the president of Cyprus, has said the country remains neutral. Its only involvement is on humanitarian grounds – to offer a safe destination for anyone in Lebanon wishing to be evacuated.
In the last week or so, military personnel from the UK have arrived in Cyprus as a precaution in the event of having to repatriate Britons who live in or are visiting Lebanon, some of whom have already returned home. The personnel are staying in or around Akrotiri on the south coast and Dhekelia in the east. Both are British Overseas Territories which were retained when Cyprus gained its independence in 1960.
Portugal recently flew a Lockheed C-130 military plane to Beirut and back home – via Larnaca Airport in Cyprus – with its nationals on board, and other countries are doing likewise.
Our ports, including Larnaca, Limassol and Ayia Napa, are also being used to help evacuate people from Lebanon, with foreign nationals, mainly Europeans, making their way home by booking flights once they arrive in Cyprus.
While it warns that “events in the Middle East have led to heightened tensions and demonstrations are likely”, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) says it remains safe to visit Cyprus. It adds that there is “no recent history of terrorism in Cyprus”.
All the while, the island is as busy with tourists as it always is, flights are operating normally, and our hotels and cultural attractions are open as usual.
Mike and Jennifer Wright, from Nottingham, are currently on holiday in Paphos, and were about to board a bus for a sightseeing tour of the west coast city when I spoke to them. They said: “We have been coming to Cyprus for years and love it here. It’s awful what’s happening in the Middle East, but we haven’t seen or heard anything that makes us feel unsafe here.”
Their friends, Tony and Ann Taylor, also from Nottingham, agreed: “We feel completely comfortable and safe here. I guess we hesitated a bit about whether to come or not before we left home last Wednesday, especially when you see the news reports and think how close Cyprus is, but we haven’t seen anything here that makes us worry. We’re very relaxed.”
Ioannis Georgiou, a taxi driver based in Paphos, added: “There are many tourists here at the moment – and everyone seems happy. I think what’s happening over there in the Middle East is horrible, but I don’t feel worried. I live here myself with my family and we feel completely safe.”
Bookings have been up and down all year – with tensions in the Middle East probably not helping – but both the Cyprus Hoteliers Association and the Cyprus Tourism Organisation said that, while hotels had received a few phone calls from concerned guests, they were not seeing any cancellations specifically due to the current conflict.
British holidaymakers who do choose to cancel their trips to Cyprus will not be entitled to a refund unless the FCDO warns against travel to the island. However, some tour operators or hotels may permit customers to change their bookings to a later date.
Thanos Michaelides, president of the Cyprus Hoteliers Association, said the island is safe and hotels were committed to welcoming Britons, a key market with 1.3m visiting in a typical year. “Tourism can promote peace and understanding between peoples,” he added.
