He began his consultation visits to small hotels in North Cyprus by visiting hotels in the Lapta region.
Ataoğlu’s ministry’s support package only covers small hotels without casinos and he started his visit to discuss details of the package with small hotel owners which will cover the year 2024. The aim was to get feedback from the hotel owners about the package’s content.
Accompanied by the Ministry’s Undersecretary, Serhan Aktunç, and the Director of the Tourism Planning Department, Mazlum Kortaş, Ataoğlu exchanged ideas with the hotel owners about the planned support programme.
Ataoğlu mentioned that the visits, which aim to gather firsthand information about the needs, requirements, and shortcomings of small hotels, will continue across the entire country. The feedback collected during these meetings will be reviewed by the Ministry, and a support package will be prepared, blending the opinions of both sides.
The goal of the support package is to encourage small hotels to contribute more to the national economy by attracting tourists who explore the area, shop, use car rental services, and dine at restaurants.
During his visit to some hotels in the Lapta region, Ataoğlu noted that the issues faced by hotel operators were largely similar. He pointed out that electricity costs are the most significant factor driving up expenses.
In addition to electricity, Ataoğlu emphasised that the high cost of air fares also negatively affects the country’s tourism. He confirmed that the consultation visits to small hotels will continue and that, based on the findings, the Ministry, in collaboration with the Cyprus Turkish Hoteliers Association, will prepare a support package.
