Coronavirus: State subsidised holidays for the vaccinated and recently recovered

 Thirty-five per cent of the holiday accommodation costs of those who have received at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine or have recovered from the virus in the last 180 days will be covered by the government, it was announced on Monday.

The holiday deal is part of a series of measures introduced by the government on Friday in a push to encourage more people to get vaccinated.

The scheme is valid from July 16 and August 31 and applies to citizens and permanent residents.

The scheme provides for a maximum price of €80 per night for a double room, including breakfast at the minimum stay of three nights.

It only applies to people who have received the first dose of a coronavirus vaccine or have recovered from the virus in the last 180 days before their arranged stay at the hotels.

Details as to the application process and the relevant documents to be submitted will be announced at a later stage, the announcement said.

The deputy ministry clarified that it will not be involved in the booking process.

Hotels and tourist complexes wishing to participate in the scheme must do so by 1pm on July 9.

In essence, the scheme extends the domestic incentive scheme that was already in place whereby the government helped to boost the ailing tourism sector by covering a percentage of the accommodation costs for local getaways. The scheme however did not originally apply to July and August, the months the tourism sector had hoped foreign tourism would pick up.

Whereas those presenting a negative rapid test could take part in the original scheme, yesterday’s reiteration applies only to the vaccinated and those recently recovered from the virus.

For more information visit the deputy ministry’s website at www.tourism.gov.cy.