Cyprus offers to pay travellers’ COVID-19 bills

People at the famous beach of Konnos Bay beach near Protaras, Ayia Napa. Famagusta District, Cyprus.

Cyprus has gone to new lengths to lure travellers back to the Mediterranean by offering to pay costs for anyone whose trip is ruined by COVID-19.

The island is offering free healthcare for infected tourists and all hotel expenses for their dependents, according to the Guardian.

“We will cover the cost of hospitalisation of those who test positive during their holiday. And pay for their families and close contacts to be accommodated in quarantine hotels,” Deputy tourism minister Savvas Perdios said in a letter sent to airlines and tour operators.

“Neither Greece nor Spain will be able to do this with the tourism volume they’ll have.”

“It’s greatly appreciated by our partners abroad and is being seen as one of our strong points this summer.”

While there have only been around 950 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 17 deaths, British tourists are still banned from holidaying on the island, and Greek Cypriot officials said it will be lucky to see a third of the 3.98 million people who visited in 2019, the Guardian reported.

However, as an island nation heavily dependant on tourism dollars, Cyprus has set aside 112 ICUs with 200 respirators for tourists who test positive and will reportedly set up a 500-room “quarantine hotel” for relatives.

Cyprus is not the only destination going to great measures to attract tourists, with Sicily offering to subsidise holidays for both domestic and international visitors once restrictions are lifted.


Featured image credit: iStock/Kirillm

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