Journal: TWUK Section: Title: Issue Date: 22/05/00 Author: Page Number: 13 Copyright: Other Operator consolidation may spell the end of quality tourism. Tourist offices will now become the puppets of these large, powerful companies. Noel Josephides There

Operator consolidation may spell the end of quality tourism. Tourist offices will now become the puppets of these large, powerful companies.

Noel Josephides

There was, in the late 1960s and early 1970s, a very famous restaurant in Nicosia in Cyprus called The Corner.

One day, Archbishop Makarios, the president at that time, was eating there and he said to the young waiter that he, the waiter, was the future of Cyprus.

He carried on to explain that it was the waiters and the taxi drivers who came into contact with the tourists and that they were therefore ambassadors for the island.

Those were true words from someone who knew nothing about tourism. Taxi drivers are the first to meet clients. How they behave and how they drive creates a first and lasting impression.

The waiters represent Cypriot culture and their manner can make or break a visitor's impression of the island.

How different things are now in Cyprus. Such has been the growth in tourism that most transfers are now by coach and many of the waiters speak English better than Greek because they have been brought in from Eastern Europe and Russia to help ease the labour shortage.

Hotel after hotel is turning to an all-inclusive basis. Phytos Thrassyvoulou, partner in the very popular Sunbow restaurant in Paphos and president of the Paphos Restaurant Keepers' Association, was telling me yesterday that his members had fewer clients now, when all Cyprus tourism records were being broken, than they had 10 years ago.

Like me, he feels that all-inclusives spell the death knell of quality tourism. His members are up in arms.

The small man is being squeezed out of the tourism equation and it is the large operators and impersonal hotel chains which rule.

Danger signals should sound in tourist offices throughout the world where, unfortunately, apathy currently rules.

The Cyprus Tourist Office should be supporting the small tourist enterprises and not selling out to the sweet-talking giants who take much but contribute little.

I heard while in Cyprus that the Thomson board had recommended a sale to TUI.

Even over here news travels fast. What a kick in the teeth for those at Thomas Cook and JMC, who have fought so hard to develop the company from nothing a few years ago to now be one of the big four.

They are not good enough for TUI (Preussag) which prefers Thomson.

I wonder what personal interests are at play?

Whatever it is, it's bad for tourism. More and more money is being concentrated into fewer and fewer pockets and this is wrong.

Is there consumer benefit from what is going on? Will there be any benefit to the destination for that matter?

The truth is that no-one, other than a few key men, merchant banks and lawyers, will benefit from this concentration of power.

These companies name the price they want to pay for accommodation and nothing can stand in their way.

Cyprus has no control over Cyprus tourism.

It's Thomson and TUI who will control what happens here.

In controlling tourism, they also control the island's economy.

The Cyprus tourism organisation will be their puppet as will be the tourist offices of many countries around the world.

Just wait and see.

"All-inclusives spell the death knell of quality tourism”