Fury has erupted in northern Cyprus after TUI reportedly struck a controversial deal to stop running day trips for tourists to the Turkish part of the country.
Cyprus has essentially been divided in two since the 1970s, with the Greek Cypriot community running the south of the island and the Turkish Cypriot community the north.
Huge numbers of British holidaymakers travel to the likes of Paphos, Larnaca, Limassol and Ayia Napa each year, all of which are in the Greek half of the country.
Day trips were being offered by TUI to the Turkish half of the island but it is reported these will stop from the end of August, which has infuriated Turkish Cypriots.
Tour guides in Cyprus were reportedly informed via email that the travel giant would no longer promote or sell excursions to the northern half of the island from August 31.
Northern Cyprus newspaper Kibris published a screenshot of an email which was reportedly sent by TUI to local guides.
It stated: “TUI has come to an agreement with [the] Cyprus government to stop promoting and selling excursions to [the] northern occupied side of Cyprus. This applies to all languages and all excursions where we currently cross the border to the north.”
Turkish Cypriot restaurateurs’ association (Res-Bir) board member Cemal Gulercan told Kibris that the deal “will have a negative impact on the service sector and restaurants”.
He added that it will “increase political tensions” between the island’s communities and “can be seen as part of a strategy to isolate North Cyprus economically”.
Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar also expressed his disgust by accusing the government on the south of the island of “blackmailing” tour operators.
He said: “The Greek Cypriot leadership has this time placed our tourism sector at the centre of its ‘blockade policy’ aimed at collapsing our economy. Accordingly, it is taking steps to completely illegally prevent the passage of people who want to have a holiday in our country and have made a reservation in advance, including European Union citizens.”
TUI’s website now lists day trip packages to Famagusta, Salamis and Kyrenia in the north of the island as “sold out”.
In the southern quarter of Famagusta lies Varosha, a once beautiful seaside town, and a holiday hotspot loved by many Hollywood stars including Elizabeth Taylor, that has been left eerily empty for more than 50 years.
After Turkey invaded Cyprus in 1974, the beachfront strip was completely closed to the public, only reopening in 2021.
It has since become a popular “dark tourism” hotspot with holidaymakers who like to explore its eerily quiet streets and admire its derelict buildings.