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A dispute is in progress between the Cyprus Sports Organisation and the Hoteliers Association emanating over the status of hotel gyms. It appears that KOA considers them (the gyms) as forming part of their responsibility and in addition to fees, is demanding the provision of a professional gym instructor during their operational hours.
On the other side, the Hoteliers claim that gyms are just another facility provided, open to the public, they are a non-specialised service and as such hotel gyms cannot be considered as being “private schools for exercise”.
The interesting question is, of course, the cost of providing 1-2 gym instructors depending on the size and opening hours of the gym.
If we are to assume a gym operation for say 6 months, the cost can come up to approximately €15,000 p.a. and this even if only one person uses the gym.
Users visit gyms at all hours, ranging from very early in the morning say from 6 am and up to 9 pm. So, there is a problem which is related to a financial issue.
Without going into the legislation of the subject, it appears to us that those hotels which charge members a fee (not being hotel guests), should have someone in attendance whereas those who do not can go without.
Having said that, the popularity of gyms are increasing for many reasons.
The first is of course fitness, but in Cyprus, it has become a meeting place for young people.
Examining however some of the equipment in the gyms, they are quite expensive and they can become dangerous if the user has no clue how to use them, whereas overstressed users may need first aid.
Not an easy question to take sides we must say, whereas our sympathy for KOA is not what it should be.
The recent closure of the beach sports ground (GSO) at Limassol promenade, because its agreement with the Limassol Municipality has run out, it is an example to be avoided, as is its indifference to established sports grounds (see handball international games at Protaras abandoned and €1.1 mln lost due to sheer indifference) – be it by others, but their intervention could have helped.
It is a wider problem mind you when one undertakes sports/entertainment etc of an establishment. Sports attendance needs extras, one needs a lifeguard for the swimming pool and for children’s playground a qualified person to attend.
As we have said, the additional cost is the cause of the problem which by projection is passed on to the already non-competitive Cypriot tourist package.
We hold the view that hoteliers and KOA should sit around a table in order to find a happy medium since there is no clear cut “correct” approach. Charging a gym fee with an instructor could be one approach and no fee during the time they are not there, but then who is going to look after the users?
A combination of an instructor/nutritionist could be a solution (if not combined the latter to charge say €10/visit). The hotel will provide an extra service at a cost, but the guest and the hoteliers will get something back.
On another note, hotels overcharging has caused tour operators to set out the all-inclusive holidays to a lower standard than otherwise.
Still keeping with the summer-holiday spirit relating to water sports, it passes through our mind occasionally, that speedboats and tourist cruise boats which create waves in an otherwise pond-like sea, upset an otherwise serene swim.
In Greece, the boats must keep a distance of 500 metres away from the swimmers’ red-ball boundary.
In this country, showing off and having fun much against the bather’s enjoyment, have the boats going up and down along the demarcation line – Can the authorities or the KOA intervene?
We doubt it if they even read our letters of complaint in the past.
We have a question for water dam users especially now that they seem to be practically full. The dams could be used during winter times especially with rowing boats, small sailing boats etc.
I understand that the tourism authorities have a dispute with the Water Development Department, the latter awaiting the approval of some sorts of regulation pending for over four years now in order to be placed into the sports use category.
Sport plays an important role in Cyprus tourism and the best example are the Ayia Napa football pitches which help hotels occupancy during the winter months.
The example of this small Municipality is still to be followed.
