400,000 visit Turkish casinos in north Cyprus

Some 330,000 to 400,000 Greek Cypriots are reported to have visited casinos in the Turkish occupied north of Cyprus, a study by the government tourist office has shown.

The results of the survey, commissioned by the Cyprus Tourism Organisation, has prompted its chairman Photis Photiou to push through for a decision on a casino in the Greek Cypriot areas “within 2006”.

“It is imperative that we have quality casinos in the free areas to serve the tourists and families, not like the gambling joints that operate in the north,” he said.

Photiou concluded that a feasibility study is expected to be submitted to the CTO by the end of this year.

The CTO chairman was also quoted by the daily Alithia newspaper as saying that the Turkish Cypriots have embarked on an aggressive plan to promote the north in travel exhibitions in Britain.

He said he does not feel threatened from competition from the north because no major international tour operator is to date cooperating with Turkish Cypriot companies.

“We have not been affected in terms of tourism and I urge everybody to avoid the discussion of such a risk.

“However we cannot underestimate the efforts and the tourism development in the north,” Photiou said.